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<br />and 100 square miles at the upstream limit of detailed study. <br />Big Gulch is a tributary to Lay Creek. The stream drops from <br />an elevation of approximately 7200 feet to approximately 6170 <br />feet at its confluence with Lay Creek. The average slope of the <br />reach studied is approximately 0.35 percent, with a total stream <br />slope of approximately 0.7 percent. <br /> <br />Tributaries 1 and 2 have their headwaters approximately 1.2 miles <br />north of the eastern portion of Craig. Both tributaries drop <br />from an elevation of approximately 6620 feet at their headwaters <br />to approximately 6230 feet at the north end of the study limit <br />for Tributary 1 and to approximately 6260 feet for Tributary 2. <br />At its mouth, Tributary 1 has a drainage area of approximately <br />0.7 square mile; and Tributary 2 has a drainage area of approximately <br />0.3 square mile at its mouth. <br /> <br />The City of Craig is located along the north side of Yampa River <br />in a valley formed by Fortification Creek, flowing from the north. <br />Although the geography of the Craig area is considered gently <br />rolling hills and valleys, the headwater regions of the streams <br />studied are considerably steeper. <br /> <br />The geography of the City of Lay is similar to that of Craig, <br />being located on the northern side of a broad valley formed by <br />the confluence of Lay Creek and Big Gulch. <br /> <br />The soil classifications in the Moffat County study area and the <br />headwater regions of the study streams are as follows (Reference 2): <br /> <br />1. Cryobaralfs-Cryoborolls-Rock Outcrop <br />2. Paleborolls-Cryoborolls <br />3. Camborthids-Argiborolls <br />4. Hybro-Camborthids <br />5. Ustorthents-Argiborolls <br />6. MacFarlane-Pinkham-Rock Outcrop <br /> <br />The permeability of these soils ranges mainly from low to moderate, <br />with a small area at the upper elevations having a rapid permeability. <br /> <br />vegetation in the Moffat County study area varies according to <br />elevation. In the valley areas below 8000 feet not used for agri- <br />culture, vegetation is classified as northern desert shrub; that <br />is, sagebrush, rabbitbrush, and winterfat, with an understory <br />of various hardy grasses. Due to the poor ground cover in this <br />region, snow tends to melt and run off rapidly. <br /> <br />At the higher elevations, from approximately 8000 feet to timberline, <br />subalpine forests consisting of aspen, lodgepole pine, Douglas <br />fir, and Engelmann's spruce are common. Runoff in this region is <br />quite variable due to the mixture of rock outcrops and dense pine <br />needle beds. <br /> <br />6 <br />