Laserfiche WebLink
<br />The upper reaches of Dry Cedar Creek lie approximately 10 miles <br />southeast of Montrose at an elevation of approximately 9,400 feet. <br />The stream flows in a generally northwesterly direction to its <br />confluence with the Uncompahgre River 1 mile south of the city. <br />The stream drains an area at the mouth of approximately 21.9 square <br />miles. <br /> <br />Hieroglyphics Canyon, a tributary on the San Miguel River, has its <br />headwaters in Sawtooth Ridge near Uravan, Colorado. The drainage <br />basin area drops from an elevation of 6,950 feet to approximately <br />5,200 feet at its confluence with the San Miguel RiVer. <br /> <br />The soils and corresponding vegetation found in the Montrose County <br />study areas and the headwater regions of the study streams are <br />classified as follows (Reference 2): <br /> <br />Soils Type <br /> <br />Distinguishing Vegetation <br /> <br />Desert Sierozem <br /> <br />Shadscale, Winter fat, Galleta <br /> <br />Brown Chestnut <br /> <br />Sagebrush, Juniper, Indian Ricegrass <br />Western Wheatgrass <br /> <br />Mountain Prairie-Chestnut <br /> <br />Scrub Oak, Sagebrush, Mountain Brome, <br />Western Wheatgrass <br /> <br />Gray WOOded-Brown Podzolic <br />Mountain Prairie <br /> <br />LOdgepole Pine, Engleman Spruce, <br />Douglas Fir, Aspen, Thurbers Fescue, <br />Mountain Brome <br /> <br />The widely varied topography of the region - mountain ranges, high <br />plateaus and mesas, and the comparatively high Uncompahgre Valley - <br />creates distinct and varied climatic conditions. Low humidity and <br />mild year-round climatic conditions generally prevail because of <br />the protection afforded by surrounding high mountain peaks, which <br />tend to attract moisture from passing storms but also protect the <br />valley from high-velocity winds. However, temperatures often drop <br />below freezing in winter and rise to over 900F in summer. Average <br />annual mean temperatures range from 35QF to 640F. Normal annual <br />rainfall averages approximately 9 inches. Rain occurs thrOughout <br />the year, with the smallest amount in June and the largest amount <br />in August. Average annual snowfall is approximately 30 inches. <br />In the high headwater regions, normal annual precipitation averages <br />approximately 45 inches and occurs mostly as snow that usually <br />accumulates as a snowpack. Because of poor ground cover in this <br />region, snow seems to melt and run off rapidly. <br /> <br />The flood plains of all the streams studied are primarily <br />undeveloped. However, there are sparse locations of residential, <br />commercial, and light industrial development along the larger <br />streams. <br /> <br />7 <br />