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The elevation in the watershed ranges from 6,280 to 10,300 feet ahove mean sea level. The topography, sloping southeast, ranges from rolling rangeland in the lower portion to steep mountain slopes in the upper portion. The geologic formations of the area include: the Raton and Vermejo Formations. The Vermejo Formation consists of carhonaceous and sandy shale with lenses of arkosic sandstone and coal. This formation rests on Trinidad sandstone. It is generally overlain hy the Raton Formation. At the hase of the Raton Formation is sandstone and conglomerate. Ahove these materials, sandstone, siltstone, shale, and lenticular coal heds are found. Both these formations are coastal-plain deposits. The Raton Formation grades into the Poison Canyon Formation. This is a conglomerate formation which is interhedded with shale. This formation is overlain with the Cuchara Formation and consists of red, pink, and white san~stone interhedded with shale. The Huerfano Formation overlies the cuchara Formation and consists of shale and red, white, and tan sandstone, as well as a basal conglomerate sandstone. Rocks of the Cuchara and Huerfano formations are metamorphosed to conglomerate quartzite, hornfels, and slate. There are also intrusive rocks in the area. These include the spanish Peaks stocks as well as numerous sills and dikes. The Spanish Peaks s.tocks are composed of syenodiorite porphyry, granite porphyry, and granodiorite porphyry. The soils are shallow and well-drained, formed in place from the weathering of sandstone or shale. Slopes range from 3 to 65 percent. The availahle water holding capacity varies from .08 in. fin. to .16 in. fin. The runoff is medium to very rapid, and the hazard of water erosion is very high. The erosion "K" factor ranges from .1 to .24, while the "T" factor varies from 1 to 2 for the majority of soils. A hydrologic group of "0" applies to most of the soils. The economy of the watershed area is hased on agriculture (ranching). More than 90 percent of the range in the watershed is in fair or poor condition which equates to .13 to .25 animal unit months (AUMs) per acre. Its potential is .45 AUMs per acre. The grazeahle woodlands are in similar condition. They produce between .05 and .17 AUMs per acre; however, the potential is hetween .3 and .33 AUMs per acre. These present conditions are conducive to accelerated erosion and resource base deteriorating. , To provide water for these rangelands, several stock water ponds have heen constructed. In addition to these ponds, several multiple-purpose and erosion control dams have heen constructed within the project area; These also provide water for livestock in the area at times. Vegetation communities in the watershed consist mainly of grazeahle pinion-juniper and ponderosa pine woodlands with 10