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w 00 w t-.. . climate of the higher elevations in the Colorado River Basin. Most of the precipitation on these soilsoa:;u1's in the form of snow. These upland . soils occupy the steep mountain slopes under pine and.fir cover. At lower elevations sagebrush and grass dominate the foothills. Soil fertili- . ty usually is good, but agricultural potential on these soils is limited by the shortness of the frost-free period. The uses of these soils include timber production, grazing, recreation, and water production. In general, . surface layers are relatively high in organic matter content, most of the soils are well drained and non~saline,and erosion is generally light to moderate because of the good ground cover. . The Hydrologic System Upper Colorado River region. The Colorado River originates in . the high peaks of the Rocky Mountains at elevations of approximately l3, 000 feet, and travels in a generally southwestward direction some 650 miles before reaching Lee Ferry (elevation about 3, lOO feet). The . Green River, the largest tributary, originates in the southwestern part of Wyoming in the Wind River Range, traveling southward some 730 miles to its junction with the Colorado River about 60 miles south of the town . of Green River, Utah. The Green River drains 70 percent more area than does the Colorado River above their junction. A major tributary to . the Green River is the Yampa River, which drains northwestern Colorado. The second largest tributary to the Colorado River is the San Juan River, which begins on the western slopes of the Continental Divide in . l2 .