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- 8 - Although rainfall may occur at several locations on a given day, there is little conformity in either' rates or amounts that may occur at two different places since very localized atmospheric conditions are the predominating factors involved. Convective- type storms do not ordinarily produce precipitation of a general nature that would cover the watershed. The climate at Ignacio is semi-arid. The following U. S. Weather Bureau data are recorded for Ignacio, Colorado: Maximum recorded temperature Minimum recorded temperature Average annual snowfall Last spring-killing frost, average First fall-killing frost, average Average annual precipitation Maximum recorded 24-hour precipitation Average temperature Elevation - Weather Bureau Station 101 F. - 38 F. 52 inches June 7 September 21 14.45 inches 2.15 inches 46.2 F. 6,432 feet Water Uses and Sources.- The principal use of water within the watershed is for production of crops on irrigated lands. Smaller amounts are used for stockwater and domestic purposes. The lands in the watershed have been irrigated since the 1870's by direct diversion from the Los Pinos River. The Federal Court at Durango in Case No. 7736, "u. S. vs. Morrison, et al" on October 25, 1930, granted a priority to the Indians as of July 25, 1868, of 212 c.f.s. of water from the Los Pinos River. The white settlers obtained priorities, dated October 1, 1900, by District Court Case No. 1248, at Durango in 1934. Most of the water supply is high peak flows from snowmelt or early summer thunderstorms. In past years much of the Los Pinos River runoff was lost to the irrigators and most were short of late season water to mature the crops. In 1941, the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation completed the Vallecito Reservoir to store the snowmelt and thunderstorm runoff and to regulate the flow of the Los Pinos River. The Reservoir's capacity for active storage is 126,300 acre- feet and according to the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation was to provide supplemental irrigation service to 388 farms with about 41,000 acres and 65 Indian farms with about 9,700 acres. The Reservoir has been operated to try to provide both direct flow and stored rights by planned releases to each of the participating canal companies, and also to pass on the maximum possible to the Colorado River Basin commi tments. This type of operation together with a continuous flow delivery make for a shortage of late season water.