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~ ~ ,,~ .< ~ 2.2 Community Description Ihe--Cit:y-o-f-----OUrang-u-rs--t-o-c-aLed i.n (,:t::uLri:ll La PlaLes CuuuL." .i.u LIJ.'t: mountainous region of southwest Colorado. The city had a populatio~ of approximately 11,500 in 1980 (Reference 2). Agriculture, retail trade, and the lumber industry have continued to play important roles. in the economy of the ci ty since it became a trading and manufacturing center for the nearby mines, ranches, and farms during the early years. New factors affecting the economic base of the community include Ft. Lewis College, tourism, and the recreation industry. From the San Juan Mountains, the Animas River flows southerly through steep, narrow canyons into the nearly l-mile-wide Animas Valley, which. extends for approximately 15 miles to Durango. Elevations in the Animas River drainage vary from 12,000 feet along the southwestern slopes of the San Juan Mountains to i'Pproximately 6,500 feet at Durango. The drainage area of the Animl!S River is approximately 692 square miles at Durango. The Animas River at Durango is a relatively straight, swiftly flowing stream with a narrow floodplain. The flood-carrying capacity of the Animas River in this area is relatively small. . The Junction Creek watershed, which is a tributary of the' Animas River at Durango, covers approximately 39 square miles. ...Junction Creek rises in the La Plata Mountains to the northwest of Durango at elevatiofls greater than 12,0,00 feet. The watershed consists of high, mountainous terrain,' with steep to' moderately steep slopes. Within the study area, Junction Creek has a well-defined channel that is capable of passing minor floodflows without significant property damage. , The drainage basin of Dry Gulch Creek, which covers approximately 4 square miles, is situated between the lower portions of the basins of Lightner and .Junction Creeks. The. headwater elevations for Dry Gulch Creek are in excess of 8,000 feet. Dry Gulch Creek joins Junction Creek approximately 0.5 mile upstream from the Animas River. The climate of the study area 1S semi-arid. The annual precipitation ranges from greater than 50 inches in the headwater regions to approximately 18 inches in Durango. In the study area, 8 inches of the annual precipitation falls from May through September. The annual mean temperature is approximately' 450F and varies from 660F in July to 2loF in January. Humidity is generally quite low; therefore, rapid evaporation is possible. Although much of Durango has been developed, the majority of the lOa-year floodplain lies in undeveloped areas. 4