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:)01227 CHAPTER II RESOURCES AND USES . Water Resources and Uses The Gunnison River is formed by the confluence of the Taylor and East Rivers a~out 11 miles upstream from Gunnison, Colorado. The main stream is joined by Tomichi and Ohio Creeks near Gunnison and by Lake Fork, Cimarron Creek and numerous other smaller tributaries in the river reach occupied by reservoirs of the Curecanti Unit. After flow- ing past the Gunnison Tunnel diversion point and through the Black Canyon, the river is joined by its North Fork about 12 miles east of Delta and by the Uncompahgre River at Delta. Small tributaries joining the river between Delta and Grand Junction include Roubideau, Escalante, Dominguez and East Creeks draining northeasterly from the slopes of the Uncompahgre Plateau and Kannah Creek flowing westerly from the western end of Grand Mesa. The Uncompahgre River heads in the San Juan Mountains and is joined by two of its principal tributaries, Dallas Creek and Cow Creek, about 2 and 7 miles, tespectively, downstream from the town of Ridgway. Small tributaries joining the river in the project irri- gable land area include Spring, Coal and Dry Creeks draining to the north from the slopes of the Uncompahgre Plateau and Cedar Creek entering from the east. . Flows of the Gunnison River and many of its tributaries have been gaged at numerous points over a period of many years. The average annual runoff of the Gunnison and Uncompahgre Rivers at points most pertinent to the Uncompahgre Project and the present investigations are shown in the following tabulation. Stream location Gunnison River above mouth near Grand Jct. Gunnison River above Gunnison Tunnel diversion Uncompahgre River above project diversions near Colona Uncompahgre River above mouth near Delta Average annual runoff (1952-1970) 1,594,000 ac.-ft. 1,096,000 " l6B,400 " 195,BOO .. . Uses of the flows of the Gunnison River and its tributaries include irrigation, recreation, hydro-electric power generation, and municipal and domestic purposes. Some irrigation usage is made of nearly all of the streams of the Gunnison River Basin, particularly in valleys of the Uncompahgre and North Fork Rivers and the Gunnison River and its tributaries near Gunnison, Colorado. Many of the streams and reser- voirs of the basin are widely known and utilized for trout fishing and also offer opportunities for general boating use and hunting of waterfowl. The only currently operating hydro-electric power genera- ting facilities are located at dams of the Curecanti Unit but a small hydro plant was at one time operated near Ouray. Towns and communities within the basin have domestic water systems supplied from reservoirs, streams or wells. )0