Laserfiche WebLink
<br />I <br /> <br />01".']18 <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />WATER AND RELATED LAND RESOURCES <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />YAMPA RIVER BASIN IN COLORADO AND WYOMING <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I. SUMMARY <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />This report presents information concerning water and related land <br />resources of the Yampa River Basin in Colorado and Wyoming. It is based <br />on a cooperative study by the Colorado Water Conservation Board and the <br />U. S. Department of Agriculture. Department of Agriculture participation <br />was authorized under the provisions of Section 6 of Public Law 566, 83d <br />Congress, as amended and supplemented. This is one of the series of <br />cooperative river basin surveys being conducted on the Upper Colorado <br />River and its tributaries on the western slope of the State of Colorado. <br />Information for the Wyoming portion of the basin was developed only to <br />the extent necessary to make possible evaluations on a complete river <br />basin basis with integrated consideration of all existing and proposed <br />major projects which would be affected by developments within the basin. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />The principal objective of this study was to develop information on water <br />and related land resource use and management with particular regard to <br />multiple use, to provide a basis for coordinating USDA programs with the <br />related activities of local, State, and other Federal agencies. This <br />study will serve as an important source of information in the preparation <br />of an overall water plan for the State of Colorado. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />The Yampa River is a tributary of the Green River, which is tributary to <br />the Colorado River. The basin encompasses 9,530 square miles with 6,719 <br />square miles in northwestern Colorado and 2,811 square miles in south- <br />central Wyoming (Figure 1). This is about 6 percent of the State of <br />Colorado and 3 percent of the State of Wyoming. Elevations range from <br />5,000 to more than 12,000 feet above sea level while precipitation ranges <br />from less than 9 inches in the desert areas to more than 50 inches along <br />the Continental Divide. The average growing season (above 280F.) in the <br />irrigated areas varies from 102 to 125 days. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Water and related land resource problems include erosion damage on <br />rangeland and dry cropland, inefficient water management on irrigated <br />lands, sediment and salinity production from exposed shale areas, flood- <br />water damage from snowmelt runoff, range and forest fires, and a shortage <br />of irrigation water for late season use. Present and future needs for <br />water and related land resource development include erosion control <br />practices, improved irrigation and drainage systems, increased efficiency <br />in irrigation water management, proper range management, sediment control, <br />water storage facilities for multiple use, recreation, and wildlife <br />development. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />- i - <br /> <br />\1 <br />