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<br />OCtg88 <br /> <br />The increased demand on the water resources of the Arkansas <br /> <br /> <br />Valley in recent years has brought about pressures for better utiliza- <br /> <br /> <br />tion of the available water supply. lmproved management is one method <br /> <br /> <br />whereby shortages Can be partially alleviated. We bel ieve the integra- <br /> <br /> <br />tion of the ground water and surface water supply is the most logical <br /> <br /> <br />solution of the problem. A complete analysis of the situation requires <br /> <br /> <br />an assessment and evaluation of the water rights on the entire river <br /> <br /> <br />system, the historic yield of the rights, the water available with <br /> <br /> <br />conjunctive use and consideration of economic factors. <br /> <br />GENERAL BASIN DESCRIPTION <br /> <br />The Arkansas River Basin of Colorado consists primarily of plains <br /> <br /> <br />area which is bounded on the west by the eastern face of the Rocky <br /> <br /> <br />Mountains. The Arkansas River originates upstream from leadville at <br /> <br /> <br />an elevation of over 14,000 feet above sea level. The river gradient <br /> <br /> <br />averages over 40 feet per mile from its origin to the City of Pueblo, <br /> <br /> <br />and from Pueblo to the State line the gradient is less than 8 feet per <br /> <br /> <br />mile. <br /> <br />The area north of the Arkansas River below Pueblo is characterized <br /> <br /> <br />by undulating plains. Major tributaries from the north are Fountain, <br /> <br />Adobe, Horse, and Big Sandy Creeks. These streams are normally inter- <br /> <br /> <br />mittent and do not provide a dependable source of water supply. <br /> <br />The area south of the Arkansas River below Pueblo consists of <br /> <br /> <br />larger drainage systems. The most important of these is the Purgatoire <br /> <br />River. It originates approximately 40 miles above Trinidad. Other <br /> <br /> <br />major contributors to the Arkansas River from the south are the <br /> <br /> <br />St. Charles, Huerfano, and Apishapa Rivers. The flow from these streams <br /> <br /> <br />is intermittent and is derived primarily from intense summer rainstorms. <br /> <br /> <br />Climate <br /> <br />The cl imate throughout the Arkansas Basin has wide variations in <br /> <br /> <br />both temperature and precipitation. Much of the mountain precipitation <br /> <br /> <br />is in the form of snow, whereas rain is predominant in the plains area. <br /> <br />Records indicate that more than 80 percent of the average annual precip- <br /> <br /> <br />itation in the plains area falls from April through October. <br /> <br /> <br />An indication of the variable precipitation in the basin is <br /> <br /> <br />evidenced by averages at the following stations: <br /> <br />- 5 - <br />