Laserfiche WebLink
<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. .....~ ~.,.. r <br />:,:,;"';J ~, <br /> <br />CHAJ>TER I <br /> <br />GENERAL DISCUSSIOjiS.;-BASALT PROJECT <br /> <br />Physical Geography <br /> <br />Location <br /> <br />The Basalt project area is in western Colorado in the Roaring Fork <br />River Basin. a portion of the Upper Colorado River Basin. The project <br />lands lie on benches and in stream valleys in an area extending about <br />18 miles from near Basalt. Colo., where the Fryingpan River enters Roar- <br />ing Fork River. to near Glenwood Springs. Colo.. where Roaring Fork <br />enters the Colorado River. The lands include parts of Garfield. Eagle. <br />and Pitkin Counties. Basalt and Carbondale, the only incorporated towns <br />within the pro,Ject area. had 1960 populations of 213 and. 612. respec- <br />tively. Glenwood Springs had a 1960 population of 3,637. <br /> <br />~roject Service areas <br /> <br />Basalt project lands are grouped naturally into three separate areas <br />designated as the Cattle Creek. Carbondale. and Sopris areas. Other <br />adjacent areas are mentioned in the alternative plan discussions in <br />Chapter VI. <br /> <br />The Cattle Creek area includes all project lands on the left or <br />northeast side of the Roaring Fork River. Most of the area slopes toward <br />the river, but the irrigable lands are generally above the river valley. <br />The west~rn part of the Cattle Creek area is on a bench overlooking the <br />river and is divided into north and south portions by a canyon cut by <br />Cattle Creek. The undulating area south of the canyon is called Missouri <br />Heights. Lands north of the canyon are on Spring Valley Bench and in <br />Spring Valley. a large structural trough. Lands east of Spring Valley <br />are in the valley of Cattle Creek and its tributaries. <br /> <br />The; Carbondale and Sopris areas are on the left or south side of the <br />Roaring Fork River. The Carbondale lands lie on an outwash fan in a tri- <br />angle formed by the junction of Roaring Fork and Crystal Rivers. The <br />Sopris lands are located west of Basalt on an out1.rash fan near the junc- <br />tion of Roaring Fork River and Sopris Creek. <br /> <br />The Three Mile Creek. Four Mile Creek. and Thompson Creek areas, <br />discussed only in connection with alternative project plans. are located <br />west of the Roaring ~'ork and Crystal Rivers in the vidni.ty of the creeks <br />from which the areas are named. Each of the creeks flows northwest, <br />Three Mile ffild Four Mile Creeks entering Roaring Fork River within a few <br /> <br />6 <br /> <br />