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<br />0.' 1489 <br />. <br /> <br />August. In addition, it is estimated that an average of about 25,000 <br /> <br /> <br />acre-feet per year is diverted for irrigation and water supply purposes <br /> <br /> <br />upstream from Trinidad. <br /> <br />c. Climate. <br /> <br />Climatic conditions vary considerably <br /> <br />1--.--. <br /> <br />between the high mountains and the valley downstream from Trinidad. <br /> <br /> <br />The climatology of the drainage basin above Trinidad is characterized <br /> <br /> <br />by intense local thunderstorms during July and August, heavy snow- <br /> <br /> <br />fall from November through April. and frontal or cyclonic-storm rain <br /> <br />during May. <br />The topography of the Purgatoire River watershed and the geo- <br /> <br />graphical location with respect to the paths of invading air masses <br /> <br />result in the occurrence of several storm types or combinations of <br /> <br />storm types over the watershed. These storms may be divided into <br /> <br />two classifications: the frontal storm resulting from frontal <br /> <br />activity of two or more air masses, and the local summer thunderstorm <br /> <br />resulting from orographic or convective lifting or a combination of <br /> <br />both. Storms during the summer months are usually of the thunderstorm <br /> <br />type and are most active during July and August. <br /> <br />(1) Precipitation. The basin above Trinidad is <br />a semiarid region, but the orographic effects within and adjacent <br /> <br />to the basin produce a marked precipitation differential between <br /> <br />specific locations. The average annual precipitation at Trinidad <br /> <br />FAA Airport (elevation 5,746 feet) is 13.47 inches and at North <br />Lake (elevation 8,800 feet) 21.68 inches. Average annual rainfall <br />at Trinidad is about 16 inches. Rainfall at the project area is <br /> <br />between 16 to 18 inches. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />II-5 <br />