WSP03098

• File Number: 8200.765
• Description: White River General
• State: CO
• Basin: Yampa/White
• Water Division: 6
• Date: 10/1/1979
• Author: David E Fleming
• Title: Environmental Assessment Report - Rangely Project - Taylor Draw Reservoir
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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U027il5

Taylor Draw Reservoir capacity will be 13,800 AF, with
the possibility of utilizing the remainder of the storage entitle-
ment for later expansion of the project (1).

In the initial years of the project, it is probable that
the major use of water will be for irrigation, municipal use, and
power generation. As natural resources in the area become more fully
developed, the need for industrial water will become increasingly
greater. The value of water for this use will far exceed all others.

4. White River Floods

Flood patterns of the White River differ depending upon the
location along the river being considered. In the upper reaches of
the river peak flows invariably occur as a result of spring snowmelt
while peak flows in the lower reaches are more likely to result from
heavy rains on lower tributaries. Potentially, the maximum flood at
the dam site could occur if snowmelt runoff in the upper basin were
combined with heavy rainstorms on the tributaries immediately above
the dam site. The pattern' of precipitation is such that heavy rains
seldom occur during the period of peak runoff from snowmelt. When
they do, they are so widespread in character that their cooling effect
reduces the rate of snowmelt to the point where total stream flow may
be only slightly affected. In general, streams depending on mountain
snowmelt for the major portion of their runoff show an inverse re-
lationship between rainfall and runoff during the spring flood
season (15).

The Army Corps of Engineers (COE) performed a flood study of
the Town of Rangely for flood insurance purposes in 1976. The COE
report developed floods for the 10-, 50-, 100- and 500-year storms

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