2014-08-13_PERMIT FILE - C1981018A (2)

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• The average annual groundwater yield to the White River above Rangely, Colorado (431.5 cubic feet per second) represents 64.2 percent of the total annual Flow of the river (672.0 cubic feet per second). Using a similar procedure, the average annual groundwater discharge to the White River near Meeker, Colorado was found to be 353.1 cubic feet per second, or 56.8 percent of the total annual flow. Information gathered from the flow duration curves of the White River above Rangely, Colorado and near Meeker, Colorado indicates that total average annual flows increase 0.025 cubic feet per second per square mile between the two stations. However, groundwater inflow to the river represents an increase of 0.039 cubic feet per second per square mile per year. The discrepancy (0.014 cubic feet per second per square mile per year) presumably results from consumptive use between the stations, primarily by riparian vegetation and other nonbeneficial phreatophytes (i.e., irrigation between the two stations is negligible). In any case, increases in the average flow of flow of the White River below Meeker are negligible relative to the flow available at Meeker (the latter being equal to 0.815 cubic feet per second per square mile per year). The seasonal distribution of flows of the White River above Rangely, Colorado was determined by averaging the monthly flow volumes for the period of October 1972 through September 1981. These averages are presented in Figure II.C-10. The monthly distribution shown in the figure is typical of western, semiarid rivers, where the majority of the flow occurs within a relatively short period in late spring and early • summer. Again, this distribution is assumed to be representative of conditions in the White River adjacent to the lease area. The limited amount of data on the White River above Rangely precludes the development of a reliable annual peak flow frequency curve to estimate probable peak flows in the general area. However, Table II.C-3 has been developed to give a preliminary, order-of-magnitude estimate of peak flows in the river adjacent to the lease area. Estimates, which appear to be reasonable, were made based on standard ranking procedures using the Weibul Plotting Position (U.S. Water Resources Council, 1977). TABLE II.C-4 Estimated Peak Discharges of the White River Above Rangely, Colorado for Various Retum Periods Return Period Peak Discharge, in Years In Cubic Feet Per Second 10 5000 25 5600 50 5900 100 6200 • Permit Renewal #3 (Rev. 8/99) II.C-20