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<br />II. SITE DESCRIPTION <br /> <br />The City of Ouray is located in southwestern Colorado in Ouray County. The proposed project is <br /> <br /> <br />located at the northern portion of the City. Figure 2.1 shows the general location of the Uncompahgre River <br /> <br /> <br />Redevelopment Project within the City of Ouray. As the map indicates, the City is located in the narrow river <br /> <br />valley formed by the Uncompahgre RivE!r and on alluvial fans cmatE!d by Portland and Cascade Creeks. The <br /> <br />valley and alluvial fans are surrounded by the San Juan Mountains. The mountains adjacent to Ouray rise <br /> <br />to elevations in excess of 13,000 feet. Six significant tributaries enter the Uncompahgre River within the City <br /> <br /> <br />of Ouray. These are Canyon Creek, Oak Creek, Portland Creek, Cascade Creek, Skyrocket Creek and <br /> <br />Bridalveil Creek. <br /> <br />2.1 Project Area <br />The proposed project area consists of 4,100 feet of the Uncompahgre River. This reach of the <br />Uncompahgre River has been disturbed by mini~g and other land use practices As a result of these <br />disturbances, and lack of channel stabi!i'y features i~ the project reach, the channel has poorly defined banks. <br />shifting bars and multiple channels. 1=01' much of the project reach, the current channel exhibits a braided <br />characteristic. A view of the braided portion of the project area from Skyrocket Creek is shown in Photo 2.1. <br />Photo 2.2 shows a view of the project area looking upstream from near the downstream end of the project. <br />Both upstream and downstream of th,~ project site the Uncompahgre River has a much higher level of <br />confinement. Photo 2.3 shows the Uncompahgre immediately upstream of the project and Photo 2.4 shows <br />the Uncompahgre River about 1,000 feet downstream of the project site. <br />In general, the Uncompahgre HiveI' within the project area is a gravel and cobble bed stmam (see <br />Photo 2.5). A few boulders (materialla'-ger than 10 inches) are scattered throughout the project area. The <br />frequency of boulders is higher in the s::eeper areaS upstream and downstream of the project (Photo 2.6). <br /> <br />2.2 Tributaries <br /> <br /> <br />Of the six creeks previously mentioned. two enter the Uncompahgre River within the project area. <br /> <br /> <br />Skyrocket Creek has its confluence alon9 the east side of the Uncompahgre at the upstream end of the project. <br /> <br />2.1 <br />