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<br />""'"' <br />en <br />N <br /> <br />CHAPl'ER I <br /> <br />GENERAL DISCUSSIONS <br /> <br />Rifle Creek is formed a sOOllt distanoe north of the Grand Hogback <br />by the confluence of East, Middle, and West Rifle Creeks. It then flows <br />due south, cuts through the Grand Hogback, and empties into the Colorado <br />River at Rifle. Government Creek is the only Rifle Creek tributary below <br />the Grand Hogback. It would not contribute to the project water supply. <br /> <br />The area drained by East, Middle, and West Rifle Creeks is rugged <br />and mountainous, ranging from 5,800 to more than 10,000 feet in elevation. <br /> <br />Climate <br /> <br />The regional climate is temperate arrl semiarid, varying with eleva- <br />tion and exposure. Daytime temperatures generally range from 80 to 90 <br />degrees during July and August. The reJative humidity is low, averaging <br />39 percent, and permits rapid cooling by evaporation. The climate is <br />satisfactory for diversified irrigation agriculture. The frost-free <br />period at Rifle averages 141 days, from May 12 to September 30. At <br />Glenwood Spring s, about 20 miles east of the project area, the frost- <br />free period averages 123 days, from May 24 to September 24. The meager <br />precipitation during the growing season limits crop production. Dry <br />land farming has been practiced but has not proved satisfactory. <br /> <br />Precipitation and temperature data obtained from Weather Bureau <br />records maintained at Glenwood Springs and Rifle are SWIIIIarized in the <br />following table. <br /> <br /> CLIMATIC DATA--RIFLE AND GLENWOOD SPRINGS <br /> Rifle V Glenwood Springs 2 <br /> Elevation 00 feet Elevation 5 82 feet <br /> Mean Mean <br /> reci p. Te precip. Temp. ( degrees F I ) <br />Month in. Me n Mean 14. 14in <br />Jan. 0.85 22.2 85 1.47 23.6 68 -38 <br />Feb. 0.66 29.9 65 1.45 29.1 63 -30 <br />Mar. 0.96 38.8 78 1.55 37.9 79 -14 <br />Apr. 1.09 48.2 87 1.55 46.8 88 7 <br />May 1.00 56.7 90 1.34 54.9 92 17 <br />June 0.55 64.9 102 0.97 62.6 100 23 <br />July 1.10 71.6 104 1.42 69.0 lOl 30 <br />Aug. 1.08 69.2 101 1.69 67.6 99 28 , <br />Sept. 1.09 60.6 96 1.42 59.9 lOO 19 <br />Oct. 1.24 48.8 86 1.31 49.2 88 10 <br />Nov. 0.78 36.7 78 1.07 36.0 72 -8 <br />Dec o 80 26 6 1 26 2 6 <br />AnnuaJJll.20 .8 lQL- - 16 0 6 <br />V Weather Bureau record 1910 to 1949. <br />?J Vieather Bureau record la88 to 1949. <br /> 3 <br /> <br />