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<br />, . <br /> <br />1:3 CHmate <br /> <br />The Dolores Project area has a climate that is typical of most. of <br /> <br />Colorado's western slope basins with side temperature and precipitation <br /> <br />extremes resulting from variation in topographic features. The alpine zone <br /> <br />exists in mountain areas above 11,000 feel elevation and transcends to arid <br /> <br /> <br />desert climate ill lower basins of 5,000 to..6, 000 foot elevation. P!'oj ect <br /> <br />. i <br /> <br />lands vary from 5,200 to 7,200 feet in elevation. . The proposed irrigation <br /> <br />project on the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reservation has altitudes ranging from <br /> <br />5.000 to 6,800 ~eet. <br /> <br />Precipitation in the Towaoc area averages 13.0 inches per year. Of <br /> <br />. this, 5.5 inches falls during the irrigation season, from May to October. <br />" . 0 <br />The mElan annual temperature' at Towaoc is 48.5 F. The average length of <br />o . <br />the growing season (28 F threshold and above) is 130 days, from May 24 to <br /> <br />October 2. The irrigation season on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />averages 168 days, from May 1 to October 15. <br /> <br />Net annual evaporation losses from ponds and reservoirs vary from <br /> <br />SO inches in the desert valley to 26 inches in the upper elevations. <br /> <br />1.4 Land <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Most of the area identified for irrigation in the Ute Mountain Ute <br />Indian Reservation is valley lands with smooth to ge~tle slopes. Isolated <br />\ small tracts separated by gulleys of varying depths and having extents from <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />less than half a mile to three miles characteriz(.nuch of this land. <br /> <br />Irregularities in some field 9utlines and the short lengths of run would <br /> <br />tend to reduce farming efficiency. <br /> <br />The soils are mostly grayish brown adoBe-type or medium to fine sandy <br /> <br />loam of marginal origin derived from local mancas shale by alluvial action. <br /> <br />The texture is generally medium to fine; the structure is weak and unstable <br />