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begin a steady decline, reaching a yearly low in February <br /> and March, when most of the precipitation from the late fall <br /> • and winter is contained as a snowpack on the mountain slopes . <br /> A spring thaw begins in late March and April and the stream <br /> flow increases rapidly, peaking in June when stream flow is <br /> up to thirty times the low winter flow. Continued snow melt <br /> and summer thunderstorms supply runoff throughout the summer, <br /> but stream flow begins to drop in late summer as the snow on <br /> the mountain slopes dissipates. This drop in flow continues <br /> through the fall, as precipitation occurs as snow on the <br /> higher elevations and is again retained as snowpack into the <br /> winter months . The average peak flow in June is 892 cfs , <br /> while the average February low flow is 32 cfs . <br /> Flows in the Crystal River below its confluence with Coal <br /> Creek are tabulated in Appendix 3 and summarized in Table <br /> 783 . 16-5 , Discharges of the Crystal River above Avalanche <br /> Creek. This gauge is located approximately 3 miles downstream <br /> from the confluence of Coal Creek and the Crystal River and <br /> 6 miles downstream from the first gaging station. The <br /> difference in discharge in between stations is a result of the <br /> combined flow of Coal Creek and numerous small drainages <br /> discharging into the Crystal River. <br /> Coal Creek, and other small tributaries increase flow in the <br /> Crystal River by 25 to 50% between the two stations . The <br /> gaging station above Avalanche Creek demonstrates the same - <br /> relationship between spring melt and increased stream flow. <br /> 7 <br />