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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />FLOOD PLAIN DELINEATION STUDY <br />LOS PINOS RIVER THROUGH THE <br />SOUTHERN UTE INDIAN RESERVATION <br />COLORADO <br /> <br />AUTHORIZATION <br /> <br />The Los Pinos River flood plain delineation study was performed under authority of the U. S, <br />Army Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque District, Flood Plain Management Services (FPMS) program, <br />The program's authority stems from Section 206 of the Flood Control Act of 1960 (PL 86-645), as <br />amended, <br /> <br />PURPOSE OF STUDY <br /> <br />The Southern Ute Indian Tribe requested assistance from the Albuquerque District, FPMS <br />Program, to delineate the 0.2%-, 1,0%-,20%-,04%-, and 10.0%-chance (500-, 100-,50-,25-, and <br />10-year) flood plains along approximately 20 miles of the Los Pinos River through the Southern Ute <br />Indian Reservation, <br /> <br />Flood plains are the low-lying areas adjoining the channels of rivers, streams, or other <br />watercourses that have been or may be inundated by floodwater. They are shaped by dynamic <br />physical and biological processes such as the hydrologic cycle, climate, erosion and deposition, and <br />extreme natural events, Uncontrolled development and use offlood-prone lands by unsuspecting or <br />uninformed people may lead to loss of life and property damage, Prudent land use practices are <br />essential for allowing the continued use of valuable flood plain assets while at the same time <br />safeguarding them against abuse; therefore, flood plains must be considered in the context of total <br />community management. <br /> <br />WATERSHED DESCRIPTION <br /> <br />The study area includes an approximately 20-mile reach of the Los Pinos River through the <br />Southern Ute Indian Reservation in southwestern Colorado, The Los Pinos River originates in the <br />San Juan Mountains in San Juan County, Colorado, and flows south through La Plata County and the <br />Southern Ute Indian Reservation to its confluence with the San Juan River upstream of the Navajo <br />Reservoir in northwestern New Mexico, The 300-square-mile contributing watershed reaches from <br />Vallecito Reservoir to the southern boundary of the Southern Ute Indian Reservation at the <br />Colorado-New Mexico state line, The study area is shown on the watershed map presented as <br />Exhibit I. <br /> <br />EXISTING FLOOD CONTROL IMPROVEMENTS <br /> <br />The Los Pinos River is impounded in Vallecito Reservoir, which is located approximately 14 <br />miles upstream from Bayfield, Colorado, and approximately 15 miles upstream from the northern <br />