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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Folding, faulting and erosion of these strata has resulted in a topography characterized by a series of mesas separated by deeply incised canyons in the east and valleys and broad basins in the west. In general, the area slopes to the northwest, with elevations within the boundaries of the study area varying from 7,300 feet at the upper end of Wrights Mesa to about 5,900 feet in the lower areas of the West Ulylands and Dry Creek Basin. Mountain peaks in the vicinity of the study area with elevations in excess of 14,000 feet are common. The climate of the study area is temperate and characteristic of the semi-arid southwestern United States, with low precipitation and humidity, wide differences between daily high and low temperatures, abundant sunshine, and high evaporation rates, In the higher elevations of the study area, summers are mild while the winters can be severe. In the lower elevations of the study area, periods of hot weather can occur during the summer, but the winters are typically mild. Average annual precipitation depths within the study area range from approximately 14 inches in the Norwood-Redvale area to 12 inches in the West Ulylands area. More than half of the annual precipitation falls during the growing season, but its occurrence is quite erratic. Surface drainage of the San Miguel Project study area is provided by a system of streams which flow generally from southeast to northwest into the San Miguel River. Within the study area, the important tributaries to the San Miguel River are, from downstream to upstream, Naturita Creek, Beaver Creek, Saltado Creek and Fall Creek (see Figure 11-1). Streamflows originate mostly from snowmelt runoff from the mountains along the southern edge of the study area. Because snowmelt is the major source of streamflow in the area, streamflows are distributed very unevenly throughout the year. Streamflows are very high during the spring runoff and are low during the rest of the year. Existing Institutions The existing water supply organizations in the study area include the SMWCD and three agricultural ditch companies. Municipal and industrial water supplies to the Norwood-Redvale area are provided by the Wrights Mesa Rural Water System (WMRWS), The SMWCD was originally formed in 1957 for the purposes of acquiring conditional water rights and to act as the contracting and administrative agency for operation of the San Miguel Project. At the time of District formation, the San Miguel Project was being planned by the USBR for federal construction as a participating project under the Colorado River Storage Projects Act. Federal involvement in the San Miguel Project was discontinued in 1981. Since 1981, the SMWCD has undertaken planning activities for a non-federal project to be financed, in 12