WSP11652

• File Number: 8200.700
• Description: Colorado River - Colorado River Basin - Colorado River Basin General Publications/Issues
• State: CO
• Date: 1/1/3000
• Author: CRWUA
• Title: Colorado River Profiles
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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Alloifneni (ltC::?u;;~io
RiH'Twater:
3.855'million aew-fet:!

Pereelllageofallocution
that. is dl;=wIQpeJ:
56 pc!"l~nt

I'opululioJl SCn"('(! by
Colomdo Hiver water:
2.1 million (8.') percenl from
lrall!'ha.~in',liv('rsions)

Irrigated acre,; ~t"r\'ed by
Colorado Riwr waler:
1.9 million

~Iajor crops under irrigation:
Hay and alfalfa. grains,
vegelabJ/;'S"an.f fruil

P(~rcentagc 'ilr i-oritribution of
Colorado River walet 10 meet-
ing state's need,,:
3S r""T('cnt

\Vat",n;lwdart'a ill'lIluano
mil.~s;
38.S.12 (:n pt'reenl of stale)

Precipilalion in watershed:
r to 58" a year

Fedt'mllands:
23.5 millilln Uf:n>!\ (35 pt"r-
(','111 vfslalt")

i'(itional fowsl":
II

National parks and munUTlk"llls:
11

Sla\t"p.arb;
38

.\lounlain prak;.. on"r ll,OOIT:
53

51
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Colorado River'

" \ PROFILES

'The "ate of Colo,ado
has been called the moth.
er of rivers: the North and
South Plaue, Arkansas.
Rio Grande and the
mighty Colorado all begin
in its mountains. Sharing
its beginnings with the
state of Wyoming. in
Colorado the Jailer begins
modestly as year-round
snowmell and infrequent
summer rains on the high
mountain peaks of north.
central Colorado.
Similarly. many of the

River flows southwesterly
until il is met by the
Gunnison River at Grand
Junction and continues
into Utah. The Yampa
and White rivers traverse
the northwest comer of
the state to the Utah bor.
der where they join the
Green RiVer, which. in
turn. meets the Colorado
in the canyonlands of
Utah. The San Miguel and
Dolores rivers begin in the
southwest corner of the
state, and flow northwest.

COLORADO

river's principal tribu.
taric~ are aho born m the
"tate's ..no......capped
mounlains. Although less
than ~O percent of the
land an~a of the Colorado
River Basin lies "lthin
Colorado. bet.....een 70 and
75 percent of the river's
lOtal flow Originates with-
IIllhestale_
Born III the mounldlll:.
of Rlll.:ky \lounlain
;\!atil1na] Park. the malO-
stem of the Colorado

" ~

eventually meeting the
Colorado Ri\'er in Utah.
Thoue.h the San Juan
River~ which joins the
Colorado at Lake Po....e11
III Utah. originates in New
\Iexico, its principal tribu.
taries. the Animas and La
Plata rivers. also originate
in Colorado.

History
For the earliest explor.
ers of what would become
Colorado, these rivers
served as biways. as well
as rich environments (or
food and Olher necessary
provisions. As the popula.
tion expanded with gold's
discovery in 1859, and irri.
gation proved the land
productive for farming,
selllers came in increasing
numbers. Small towns
sprang up and grew rapid-
ly. Homesteaders claimed
land for farming
and ranching, rang.
ing from a few
acres to sizable
operations.
Uniformly, .....ater
wa.. the key.
Early in this
growth process,
naturally occurring
water became
insufficient to meet
the growing
demand. Diversion
ditches. canals.
wells and reservoirs
were required to
slake the thirst of
this vigorous econ.
omy.
Limited water
supplies and rapid
growth provided
the only ingredients nee.
essary for serious, often
vinlent conflict. Resolving
these coonicts was diffi.
cult: in facl. m..n)" persist
today.

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U"alt'r U!ifi
Roughly SO percent of
Colorado's annual water
~uprly comes hum snow
But Jue to \~iJc lluctua.
lions in snowfall year 10
year. mainstem Colorado