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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 />CHAPTER II <br /> <br />STUDY AREA DESCRIPTION <br /> <br />A. LOCATION <br /> <br />The Town of San Luis is located in the southeastern part of the San Luis <br />Valley, approximately 220 miles south of Denver. San Luis is the County <br />Seat of Costilla County, and is the oldest Town in Colorado, established <br />in 1851. <br /> <br />See Figure 1 - STUDY AREA LOCATION <br /> <br />B. DRAINAGE BASIN CHARACTERISTICS <br /> <br />The Town of San Luis lies within the tributary area of the Rito Seco, an <br />ephemera 1 stream with its headwaters in the Sangre de Cri sto Mounta ins <br />east of San Luis. Length of ~he Rito Seco is approximately 14 miles from <br />the headwaters to its confluence with Culebra Creek at the southern edge <br />of San Luis. Elevation of the basin varies from over 12,000 feet to 7950 <br />feet at Culebra Creek. <br /> <br />With the exception of the Town of San Luis which covers approximately 280 <br />acres and irrigated hay land covering approximately 90 acres the 42.5* <br />square miles (27,000 + acres) is essentially undeveloped. Natural <br />conditions consist of largely range and forest lands. <br /> <br />* <br /> <br />The drainage area is essentially divided into two basins, the East <br />Basin of 38.0 square miles and the North Basin of 4.5 square miles. <br /> <br />See Figure 2 - BASIN BOUNDARIES <br /> <br />Two i rrigati on reservoi rs are located withi n the basi ns, Salazar No.1, <br />approximately 3/4 miles north of Town and Salazar No.2, some 2 miles <br />northeast of Salazar No.1. As a result of a diversion structure above <br />Salazar No.2, and diversion ditches to the reservoirs, both are fed by <br />flows from the Rito Seco. Accordi ng to the State Engi neer' s records, <br /> <br />-8- <br />