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. 001219 CHAPTER II RESOURCES AND USES Precipitation varies from an annual average of less than 10 inches in the project irrigated area to more than 30 inches in the nearby moun- tains. Much of the precipitation in the mountains occurs as snow during the November through March period. The snow melt period is generally from April tht'ough June although some snow often remains on the north slopes of the San Juan Mountains through July and August. . Except for cottonwood trees, willows, and other bushes along stream channels, the vegetation of the project irrigated land was originally quite sparse. Sagebrush is the predominate native cover over the deep 80ils of the mesa areas of the valley but the shallow alkaline soils of the northeast portion of the valley support little native vegetation except for occasional greasewood bushes in the deeper soils along small drainages. Scattered to fairly dense growths of juniper trees are the principal vegetative cover in the foothills adjoining the floor of the lower Uncompahgre River Valley and on the lower slopes of the Uncompahgre Plateau. At elevations from about 7,000 to about 8,500 feet the vegetation consists mostly of thick growths of scrub oak, serviceberry, sagebrush, and other bushes but also includes scattered pine trees and groves of aspen trees. From about 8,500 feet in elevation to timberline at about 11,400 feet, occasional mountain meadows covered with sage and native grasses are found among dense forests of aspen, pine, spruce and fir trees. Above timberline, the mountains are barren except for hardy grasaes and a few shrubs. In general, the lower valley and mesa areas are in private owner- ship, the areas of intermediate elevation are public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, and the high elevation areas are within the boundaries of National Forests. Some of the more scenic and remote areas within the National Forests have been designated as Wilderness or primitive areas. Most of the National Forest land and other public land is open to multiple usage including livestock grazing, lumbering, mining and recreation. Valuable mineral deposits are found in some of the igneous intrusive rocks principally in the mountainous areas and in some sedimentary formations in the plateau areas. Land Resources and Uses .. The high elevation areas around the perimeter of the Uncompahgre River drainage basin are generally not utilized intensively except for areas near Ouray where some mining activities continue and in a few of the forested areas where logging operations are in progress. Most of the public lands are used for summer grazing of livestock and these lands also support various species of wildlife including deer, elk, bear, coyotes, and rabbits. Hunting of big game is one of the major attractions of the area and the popularity of winter sports such as skiing and snowmobiling is increasing rapidly. The mountain scenery, the remains of former mining activities, and the availability of open 22