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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 />Anthracite Range, West Elk, and San Juan Mountains, to less than 1 inch in the <br />lower, drier parts of the Basin. Even within the higher parts of the Basin, <br />significant di fferences occur in the watershed yield. The average annual <br />discharge of the Gunnison River at Grand Junction (USGS gage 09152500) is <br />1,898,000 acre-feet (af) for the 79-year period of record. <br /> <br />The dominant use of water within the Basin is for irrigation. The <br />climatic regime is such that successful crop production requires irrigation. <br />Since the streamflows are mainly derived from snow melting, they are quite <br />variable. The peak flows characteristically occur in the late spring and <br />early sunvner. Runoff during this period is generally in excess of immediate <br />requirements throughout the basin. <br /> <br />The rate of streamflow diminishes during the late summer and in many <br />instances becomes insufficient to meet the crop requirements for irrigation <br />water. Shortages of 1 ate- season water are common on tri butary streams in <br />those areas which depend on direct diversion of natural streamflow for their <br />irrigation suppl ies. These shortages 1 imit the agricultural development and <br />production in several parts of the basin. <br /> <br />2.7 RECREATION <br /> <br />The basi n is outstandi ng in many respects in recreat iona 1 attract ions. <br />Mountain scenery, together with fishing, hunting, skiing, camping, whitewater <br />boating, and other recreational activities, have caused tourist trade to <br />increase rapidly. A substantial portion of the income in certain sections of <br />the basin is derived from tourist trade. The Gunnison River with its <br />tri butari es offers some of the fi nest stream fi sh i ng in the state, wh il e <br />Taylor and Blue Mesa Reservoirs are major attractions for the boat fisherman. <br />The mountains around Ouray, nationally known as the Switzerland of America, <br />offer i ncomparab 1 e scenery and wil derness for the photographer and nature <br />lover. From its mining heritage of the past, the area has its share of famous <br />mi ni ng camps, old ghost towns and abandoned ra il road grades to intrigue the <br />historian and amateur prospector. Large numbers of big game animals, chiefly <br /> <br />2-5 <br /> <br />I 10003153 <br />