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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />Rio Blanco areas have an annual average of 20_inches, with 8 inches <br />coming in May to September. The towns of Bayfield and Ignacio <br />both have an annual average precipitation of about 14 inches, with <br />6 inches observed from May to September. The Vallecito Reservoir <br />area receives a 25 inch annual average precipitation, with 10 <br />inches of this in May through September. <br /> <br />The mean annual temperature in the study areas is about 450F which <br />varies from 660F in July to 210F in January, with the exception <br />of Silverton, Colorado. Silverton has a mean annual temperature <br />of about 360F which varies from 55 of in July to l70F in January. <br />The humidity is generally quite low which allows rapid evaporation <br />in all of the study areas. <br /> <br />FLOOD CHARACTERISTICS <br /> <br />Generally, severe floods are caused by rainfall in the study areas. <br /> <br /> <br />General rainstorms usually occur during the period from July through <br /> <br />October. This type of flood results from prolonged heavy rainfall <br /> <br />over the watershed and is characterized by high peak flows of <br /> <br />moderate volume and duration. Flooding is more severe when antece- <br /> <br />dent rainfall has saturated the soils in the watershed. <br /> <br />Flood potential also exists from the rapid melting of heavy snow <br /> <br />cover in the late spring. Floodflows resulting from snowmelt are <br /> <br />characterized by moderate peaks, large volume and long duration. <br /> <br />This type of flood is usually not as damaging as those resulting <br /> <br />from general rainstorms.' <br /> <br />-6- <br />