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<br />CITY OF DELTA <br />CONFLUENCE PARK PROJEC~: <br />SECTION 22 <br />PLANUNG ASSISTANCE TO 'mE STATE OF COLORADO <br /> <br />FISCAL YEAR 1989 <br /> <br />1. Studv Authod tV. <br /> <br />This study was carried out in accordance with the <br />provisions of S=ction 22 of Public Law 93-251. <br /> <br />2. Location anj Description. <br /> <br />The City of Delta is located in western Colorado at the <br />confluence of the Gunnison and Uncompahgre I<ivers. A map of <br />the study area is provided as Plate 2-1. The City of Delta <br />has a population of about 4,000 and is the County Seat of <br />Delta County. The main economic activities in the area are <br />farming and ranching. <br /> <br />The confluence of the Gunnison and Uncompahgre Rivers <br />is at the northwest edge of the city. The headwaters for <br />both rivers ori::;rinate at elevation 14, 000 fE~et and flow to <br />Delta at an elevation of about 4,900 feet. The Gunnison <br />River drains an area of about 5,628 square miles above <br />Delta, and the Uncompahgre River drains an area of about <br />1,129 square miles. The upper drainage areas are <br />characterized by high mountain pea]<s, steep--walled canyons, <br />and narrow vall=ys. Broad expanses of low hills and mesas <br />characterize th= area around Delta. <br /> <br />The climat= of the region is arid to semiarid with <br />normal annual pr-ecipitation varying from about 8 inches in <br />Delta to 40 inches in the headwater areas. Most of the <br />annual precipitation in the high elevations occurs as snow. <br /> <br />3. Scope of St.ldv. <br /> <br />The City of Delta is planning a commercial, industrial, <br />recreation park at the confluence of the Uncompahgre and <br />Gunnison Rivers (Confluence Park Project). Significant <br />portions of the confluence area are affected by the 100-year <br />flood plain as 'ielineated by the Federal Eme'rgency <br />Management Agen,:y (FEMA). Flooding, river me,andering, and <br />associated bank erosion are concerns to local planners. <br /> <br />The conver'3ion of the old sewage lagoons (which were <br />abandoned in 1935) to a trout fishing pond has been chosen <br />by local intere,ts to be a high priority. 'I'he water intake <br />needs of the f:L3h pond and the potential diversion methods <br />were evaluated. <br />