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<br />~ <br />~ <br />l-~ <br />~\ <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />The computed average annual sediment loads are only estimates of the <br /> <br />average annual sediment load at these gaging stations under natural watershed <br /> <br />conditions. Most of the smaller watersheds and all of the larger ones have <br /> <br />been modified to some extent by grazing, mining, reservoirs, irrigation, and <br /> <br />transmountain diversions. Each of these activities can alter the sediment <br /> <br />load of a stream, and it is generally impossible to determine whether the net <br /> <br />result has been to increase or decrease the sediment load. To the extent pos- <br /> <br />sible, an attempt was made to select the least disturbed period of record, and <br /> <br />use this information to compute the average annual sediment load. <br /> <br />The sediment concentration and water-discharge records were collected <br /> <br />over different periods and have various lengths at the several gaging sta- <br /> <br />tions. Therefore, the computed average annual sediment loads should only be <br /> <br />viewed as estimates of the conditions that could have existed in the Upper <br /> <br />Colorado River Basin during the 1970's, if no major changes in the watershed <br /> <br />had occurred. <br /> <br />.;:. <br /> <br />7 <br />