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<br />INTRODUCTION TO THE UPPER COLORADO RIVER BASIN
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<br />EXPLANATION
<br />County boundary TO~ 1
<br />_ _ == ~~;~~o:~~~~ry 4J" )r---.~~, ..M"-" ~ Southern
<br />province boundary ~'~()l_ ~_, w'F'::'~ ~ Rocky
<br />r-o..., / _.... ~ Mountains
<br />~r?\_ l ",II \'JfJl -L- Physiographic
<br />OJ,WIH''-..... s:..~ (' Province
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<br />The L:ppcr Colorado Riwr Ba"ln
<br /><.:ncllrnpa~'e~ :1h\)ut ] 7.S(}(j "quare
<br />mik.... The primary ri",'[. the Colo-
<br />raJcl River. origin.Jte, III the moun-
<br />tam,> 01 ':I.'ntral Color.ido anJ Ihm"
<br />~Ibllut ~30 IlllleS '>uuthv. eq lll(~'
<br />l.rah. The ba..in i~ complhcJ 01
<br />(\\\1 phy,ingrapluc pI',I\'llh:c.:": tht'
<br />Southern Ro..:I\~ ;..11)Un(;lltl" and the
<br />CnluraJo Plateau (fIg. 1 J, The
<br />l\lpllgraphy \'aric\ from rugged
<br />llluurHainou, ref!hm~ mlhe ea~l to
<br />
<br />
<br />Th" CoIoratlO PI"lI~lI'" contams warm. SAhne
<br />streams l~al ar",nsed,menlaryQeologlCsett,"9$
<br />IPhot09raph Dy Jeffrey DeaCOll, us Goologocal
<br />SU'''''YI
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<br />Colorado >(
<br />Plateau l..:.
<br />Physiographic
<br />Province
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<br />,l,grlC\JrTurersam<lIQ,landuse,ntl1e
<br />CoIo<actoPlllleau 'PtlOtogra>,hDy
<br />Salll M'le. us Gi.-ologlCal SuMly)
<br />
<br />
<br />Snowmelt RunoH Dominates
<br />the Streamflow in Many
<br />Areas ot the UCOL
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<br />The amounI of water dl'rin:d
<br />frnm tht' Wlnler "nO\\'pack gener-
<br />;.lily detemline~ lht' magnllude and
<br />~ua]ily of "lreamtiow for the
<br />L'COL. Streamlhl\h are typh,:ally
<br />highe"t in th...' "pring and lowest
<br />
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<br />Cool ana clear mounta", Slre<lms are presenl
<br />'''lneloreslooareasofrneSalJI11elnR<><;ky
<br />Mountains (Ph(}lograp~ by SeoaMlle.
<br />US GeologocaISur,,~)
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<br />~d.;.,\..
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<br />hi~h plateaus bordered by steep
<br />dill".. along valley" In the \\e"t.
<br />Because of difference" In ahllude
<br />of about IO,(jOO feet (rom easl to
<br />\\e"t. Ihe dimate' range' fwm
<br />alpine condition.. hI "elTllariJlarid
<br />....nndition". Preciritati{lJl fange'
<br />frlllll 40 inche... or IlHlrt' per year al
<br />high ele\;ltitlO' In the e.!'-tem part
<br />of the b""ln tole..,... thall Itl lnche..
<br />pL'r year <ltlllw e1e\'atioll" in the
<br />\\e"tem part llf the ha"ln llig. ~J.
<br />
<br />
<br />Urbano.....-eloprmlnltSoccum"ll",aroasolltle
<br />$oulnern Rocky MounlaJnti {Pholograph ll,
<br />ScoM Mm', US Geologoc.al Survey I
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<br />S:'eamshavetle<lna"ecfe\lby'lI'1O!1andd's,
<br />Cl1a,9" from pasl and p'esem m'ned are<lS
<br />,PI1oI09capt'.tl;'Jett>eyB Ba,ls, US Geolog"
<br />c:.a15<Jrvo:>;-',)
<br />
<br />Figure 1. The combInations of physiography and land use produce different enVlfonments found In the UCOL
<br />PhYSiographic prOVinces Irom Fenneman. 19..6,
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<br />Inlr\lJucllon f\l th~' L:pper C'nll\raJo B.l~in
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