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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE REPORr General Description of the Area Location. It is proposed to locate the Lemon Re8ervoir on the Florida River in Township 36 North, Range 7 West, in La Plata County, southwestern Colorado. Sites have been considered in sections 8, 17 and 20. The site presently indicated is in south central section 17. General access to the area is via U. S. 160, passing east and west through Durango, and U. s. 550 from the north and 8outh. Durango is 12 to 15 miles southwest of the dam site, over generally good graded roads. This part of the Florida Valley is excluded from the San Juan National Forest, which would surround the re8ervoir on three sides. But, apparently, it would not be contiguous with it at any point, barring the enlargement of the Forest (which seems unlikely) or the acquisition of more land for reservoir project purposes than now appears to be consistent With present Bureau of Reclamation policies regarding project acquisitions. Purpose of Reservoir. As currently planned, there will be a 15l-foot 'dam with a ~ximum reservoir area of 487 acres at el. 8,132 and a capacity of 23,300-acre feet, all of which (except.a nominal dead storage of 3,300-acre feet) is understood to be intended for irrigation uses, The small conservation (dead storage) pool of 140 surface acres would be held at el, 8,067, but the results of the ten-year study period (1931-1940) indicate an average annual minimum pool of 160 acres at el, 8,072 (80 feet deep at the dam). The average annual maximum pool at el. 8,129 would be 472 acre8 in extent. The average annual fluctuation on this basis would be 57 feet, with a potential maximum fluctuation of 65 feet, Physical Characteristics of the Area. The Florida River is a clear, fast-flowing mountain stream, rippling over granite boulders washed down from the Needle Mountains. Spruce trees predominate on the high mountain area surrounding the stream, which flows through mountain meadows, The latter are productive of clover and other high altitude crops, made doubly luxuriant by irrigation. There are several resort-type developments in the vicinity of the proposed reser- voir site, Though scenically desirable as a recreational area, the plan of drawdown for the reservoir in relation to its size, and especi- ally that of the minimum pools appears to drastically limit reasonable possibilities for recreational use. This impression is emphasized by the probability that drawdown for irrigation would coincide to a large extent with the most important recreational use season. 2