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<br />CNAPTERTH R H; Affected Entnronment <br />3.3 SURFACE WAT ACE WATER DRAINAGES <br />The entire Project Area i the Colorado River drainage basin. The upper two- <br />thirds of the Project Area ~n the Piceance Creek watershed, which dischazges into <br />the White River. The to contained within the Parachute Creek watershed. The <br />drainage divide is south between Garfield and Rio Blanco counties, along the <br />Roan Plateau. Piceance and Patachute Creeks aze the only two perennial streams in the Project <br />Area. <br />The climate in the Project Area is semi-arid, with an average annual precipitation of 12 to 14 <br />inches. Evapotranspiration is less than or equal to the annual precipitation. Surface water <br />originates primarily as spring (April through June) snowmelt runoff. Peak flooding evenu aze <br />caused by snowmelt and extreme summer (primarily August) thunderstorms. Groundwater is <br />reported to contribute 80 percent of the total flow to Parachute and Piceance Creeks (BLM <br />1986a). <br />3.3.1 Piceance Creek Watershed <br />The Piceance Creek watershed covers approximately 652 squaze miles and is part of the White <br />River watershed. The drainage azea ranges in elevation from 9,770 feet on the Grand Hogback to <br />5,705 feet at the confluence of Piceance Creek with the White River. The creek flows in a west- <br />northwesterly direction from its headwaters neaz the town of Rio Blanco to its confluence with <br />the White River approximately 17 miles west of Meeker. The White River is tributary to the <br />Green River, which is tributary to the Colorado River. The drainage azea is characterized by <br />steep-sided, ragged terrain with intersecting gulches incised into plateau azeas. Streamflow data <br />have been recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at three gaging stations along the <br />creek Since 1964. The average recorded streamflow aze presented in the following table (USGS <br />1997). <br />~ i <br />b <br />~'' USGS:G.~ging.5tatioo :...:. !::Discharge, cfs. ! ..;:; .:r::; .. riod of:Rernrd: <br /> <br />Below Rio Blanco 19.9 1974-1997 <br />09306007 <br />Near Ryan Gulch 30.8 1965-1997 <br />09306200 <br />Confluence at White River 38.0 1964-1997 <br />09306222 <br />~~t ~~~ <br />. ~ . sa" <br />~•.<, <br />~1 .~Y"1 p <br />I ~' <br />~~ <br />J <br />The gaging station below Rio Blanco is located just upstream from Stewart Gulch neaz the <br />southern proposed pipeline crossing of Piceance Creek. The station below Ryan Gulch is located <br />. just upstream of the southem boundary of the Piceance Site. <br />} 1~' Piceance Creek intersects only minor portions of the Piceance Site's eastern boundary. The <br />r ~ .~ r % proposed pipeline would cross the creek in two locations. There aze several miles of intermittent <br />~~~~ ~' channels tributary to Piceance Creek that flow across the Piceance Site. These channels <br />3-12 Surface Water and Surface Water Drainages <br />