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. CHAPTER I GENERAL DISCUSSIONS Physical Geography Location and physical features . The potential Fruit~and Mesa :project is ~ocatea. in western Co~oraa.o in Montrose and Delta Counties. It is in the Gunnison River Basin, a part of the upper Colorado River Basin. The project lands are about 60 miles ,.,est of the Continental Divide ana. immediately west of the \;lest, Ell<;. Moun- tains, whose high peaks rise to elevations of more than 11,000 feet above sea level. From these mountains Crystal Creel{ flous southuest and Smith Fori, north,rest, both to join the Gtmnison River. The project lands are located generally within the triangle formed by these three streams. The Gunnison River flows northwest, joining the Colorado River at Grand Junc- tion, Co~o. East of and roughly :parallel to Crystal Creek is Curecanti Creek and still farther east is Soap (Sapinero) Creek, both tributaries of the Gunnison River and both potential sources of project water. Between the narrow valleys of Crystal and Curecanti Creel,s is Black Mesa, a high mountain plateau which slopes gently southwest from the West Elk Mountains but breal,s off abruptly along its sia.es as it approaches B~ack Canyon, of the Gunnison River. Black Canyon is a vertical-walled gorge ranging to more than a half mile in a.epth, locatea. in the crest of a large antic~inal fola.. The can- yon has an overall length of about 40 miles, extending from the mouth of Soap Creel, to the North Fork River which enters the Gunnison River about 4 miles belo" the mouth of Smith Fork. A section of the canyon about 12 miles in length, which is nearest to the project lands, is included in the" Blacle Canyon of tile Gunnison National Monument. The greater part of the project irrigab~e land is located on Fruit- land Mesa >lhich has a slope of about 5 percent northeast a>lay from the rim of Black Canyon. The mesa is <livided by Red Canyon into two distinct areas, Immm as upper Fruitlana. Mesa and Lower Fruitland Mesa. The mesa is drained by a system of draws and canyons 'Thich extend northeast to Red Canyon, Smith Fork, or Iron Creek, a tributary of Smith Fork. Smaller , areas of project lands lie in the valleys of Iron ana. Crystal Creeks. Elevations of the irrigable lands range from about 6,600 to 8,000 feet. Climate . The climate of the general region is characterized by 10'" precipita- tion, fairly long cold Hinters, and ShOl't mo(lerately warm sunnners. Both temperatures and precipitation ve:ry considerably >lith elevation, the lo"er valleys and mesas being >larmer and drier than the adjoining mountain areas. 2