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• of the gradual increase in the development of water resources within the Grand Division in <br />this century, streamf low records used for this report (1914.1957) were adjusted to reflect <br />the level of water-use developments (diversions, dams, irrigation, etc.) that existed in <br />1957. In spite of the additional activities (diversions, dams, irrigation, etc.) that <br />have occurred within the Yampa River Basin since 1957, the information presented in lorns' <br />e[. al. (1965) report is considered to be representative of present Conditions. <br />Regional Surface Water Flow. The precipitation that falls on the Yempe River Basin <br />(within the Green Division of the Upper Colorado River Basin) is generated from large air <br />masses originating from the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Xexico. The Pacif is air masses <br />dominate from October through April, and the air masses that originate in the Gulf of <br />Mexico dominate from late spring through early tall. The higher streamflows within the <br />Yampa River Basin largely result from snowmelt during late spring and early summer. By <br />late July, most stream discharges recede to baseflow. Contribution to stream discharges <br />from infrequent summer thunderstorms are minimal. Groundwater discharge from localized <br />aquifers provide bas of low to streams during summer and through the fall. <br />• Figure 7-2 is a hydrograph showing the seasonal pattern of runoff in the Tampa River at <br />Steamboat Springs, Colorado, during the 1954 water year. This hydrograph illustrates that <br />spring runoff is the principal contributor to strea mflow (April, May, and June). <br />Runoff generated by infrequent summer thunderstorms has only a minimal influence. The <br />relatively constant baseflow depicted in Figure 7-2 (July through March) is maintained by <br />groundwater discharge to the Yampa River. <br />Figure 7-3 depicts a histogram of annual discharges measured for the Yampa River at <br />Steamboat Springs, Colorado from 1914 through 1957. Compared to other gaged streams <br />within the Yampa River Basin that course through more arid watersheds, the annual <br />variability in discharge at this site is less pronounced, largely due to Less variation in <br />annual precipitation (dominated by snowfall) in the drainage basin above Steamboat <br />Springs. <br />lorns et. al. (1965 b) presents flow duration tables including data for the Yampa River at <br />Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The tables indicate that 90 percent of the time, discharge <br /> equals or exceeds 73 cf s, and that flows equal to or greater than 140 cfs occur 50 percent <br />• of the time. The mean discharge for the Yampa River at this location is 472 cf s. The <br /> flow duration Curve constructed from these tables for the Yampa River at Steamboat Springs <br />is typical of snoumett-type streams. <br />83 Revised 05/23/95 <br />