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STATE of COLOKADO U Water-&t|fly and Irrigation taper No. 74 Series I, Irri*aite», 14 DEPARTMENT-OF THE INTEEIOE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR WATER RESOURCES OF THE STATE OF COLOKADO u/ BY flr O O 0) - '* O O 4/0 ^ CO ^ I fi O / J ,2: / * or * I r* iu ' WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1902 CONTENTS. ' Page. Letter of transmittal....-...............-..._.-........---.---.----...--- 7 Introduction ............................._..................--.-.------.- 9 Sources of information....................... ............................ 10 Value of supply.......................................................... 12 Eun-off................................................................... 14 Winter discharge -........-.---..-.....-...............--...-.-...-..-.--- 19 Explanation of tables..................................................... 20 Irrigation system.............................,...:....................... 20 South Platte division................................................. 21 Drainage ........................................................ 21 Stream measurements ............................................ 22 South Platte River at Cheesman Lake ......................... 23 South Platte River at Platte Canyon........................... 25 South Platte River at Denver ................................. 29 South Platte River at Orchard................................. 32 South Platte River at Julesburg ............................... 36 Bear Creek at Morrison....................................... 36 Clear Creek at Forkscreek .................................... 40 St. Vrain Creek near Lyons ................................... 42 Boulder Creek near Boulder .................................. 46 South Boulder Creek at Marshall.............................. 49 Big Thompson Creek at Arkins .............-.......---..---.. 52 Cache la Poudre River at Fort Collins ......................... 55 Laramie River at Woods, Wyo................................ 59 Miscellaneous measurements.................................. 62 Seepage measurements............................................ 65 Kansas River Basin .............................................. 67 Frenchman River at Wauneta and Palisade, Nebr .............. 67 North and South Forks of Republican River at Benkelman, Nebr. 68 Miscellaneous gagings ........................................ 69 Arkansas River division .............................................. 70 Drainage ............................--....-.................'.... 70 Stream measurements ............................................ 72 Lake Creek at Twin Lakes.................................... 73 Arkansas River at Granite.................................... 76 Arkansas River at Salida ..................................... 77 Arkansas River at Canyon...........................-..;..... 80 Arkansas River at Pueblo..................................... 84 Arkansas River at Nepesta.................................... 89 Arkansas River at Rockyford ................................. 91 Arkansas River at Prowers.................................... 93 Arkansas River near Lamar................................... 94 Purgatory River at Trinidad .......-.._.........-............, 96 Miscellaneous gagings ........................................ 98 Seepage measurements on Arkansas River.......................... 100 3 4 CONTENTS. Irrigation system Continued. " Paga RioGrande division .................................................. 101 Drainage ........................................................ 101 Stream measurements ............................................ 102 Rio Grande at Del Norte...................................... 103 Conejos River near Los Mogotes............................... 106 Rio Grande at Cenicero.......---....-............-........--- 107 Miscellaneous measurements......-..-.-...--.-....----......- 109 Seepage measurements ..............................r ............. 109 San Juan division ....---...-.........-.-...---..--..................- Ill Irrigation........-..-.-....._.._.........-.--.._..-....._.....-..- Ill Drainage ......................................................... Ill Stream measurements ....-.._........._-.-_.-...--..-.........-.. 112 San Juan River at Arboles .......-....-..-.........--.---...-. 112 Piedra River at Arboles....................................... 115 Los Pinos River at Ignacio .......^............ ................ 118 Florida River at Stuart's ranch, near Durango.........-..-..-.- 119 Animas River at Durango..................................... 120 Mancos River at Mancos...---..-.....-...-.......-...-.----.. 124 Miscellaneous investigations .......-......--.-....-..-.....-.. 126 Grand River division................................................. 127 Irrigation.._._......__._._...___......._......-...---..-......-.. 127 Stream measurements ............................................. 128 Grand River at Glenwood Springs.........--..--........-----. 128 Grand River at Grand Junction .........---........----....--. 129 Gunnison River at lola ....................................... 132 Gunnison River at Grand Junction ............................ 133 Uncompahgre River at Fort Crawford ......................... 135 Uncompahgre River at Montrose............-.-..-..----..-.-. 138 Dolores River at Dolores...................................... 139 San Miguel River at Fall Creek.................-..-.-..--..... 142 Miscellaneous measurements.................................. 145 Green River division ................................................. 146 Drainage and irrigation........................................... 146 Miscellaneous gagings ............................................ 147 Index ................................................................... 149 ILLUSTRATIONS. Page. PLATE I. Map of Colorado, showing irrigation divisions, water districts, and gaging stations......................................_...... 20 II. A, Dam at Cheesman Lake, downstream face; B, Dam at Chee^man Lake, upstream face ....................................... 24 III. A, Castlewood dam during construction; B, Castlewood Lake and dam...................................................... 28 IV. A, Clear Creek Canyon above Forkscreek; B, Home Supply dam on Big Thompson Creek ......_.._.............-..-...--... 40 V. Skyline canal, near Greeley, Colorado ._....--.-.......-.-.----_-- 58 VI. A, Queen reservoir dam, north of Lamar; B, Kicking Bird canal, north of Lamar...........___...-..................-----.._ 72 VII. A, Arkansas River at Canyon; B, Diverting dam on Arkansas P.iver at Canyon ................................................ 80 VIII. A, Arkansas River below Main street bridge, Pueblo; B, Arkansas River near Rockyf ord...................................... 84 I.. A, Dam of Amity canal on Arkansas River; B, Head gate of Amity canal..................................................... 94 X. A, Gaging Rio Grande at Del Norte; B, State bridge across Rio Grande near Colorado State line............................ 102 XL A, Gaging station on San Juan River at Arboles; B, Gaging station on Piedra River at Arboles................... ............. 112 XII. A, Mancos Canyon in Mesa Verde; B, Grand River at Grand Junc­ tion ...................................................... 124 XIII. A, Gaging station on Dolores River at Dolores; B, Gaging station on San Miguel River at Fall Creek.......................... 142 XIV. A, Steamboat Springs; B, Yampa River Valley near Hay den...... 146 FIG. 1. Normal discharge of Cache la Poudre River ........................ 56 2. Sketch showing original outlet and artificial channel from 7^ win Lakes.......................................................... 72 3. Longitudinal section through gates, dam, and culvert of Twin Lakes reservoir....................................................... 73 4. Cross section below masonry dam of Twin Lakes reservoir .......... 73 5. Irrigation system of the Great Plains Water Company .............. 74 5 LETTEE OF TRANSMITTAL DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, DIVISION OF HYDROGRAPHY, Washington, D. C., July 10, 1902. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith, for publication as Water-Supply and Irrigation Paper No. 74, a manuscript by Mr. A. L. Fellows on the water resources of the State of Colorado. Very respectfully, F. H. NEWELL, Hydrographer in Charge. Hon. CHARLES D. WALCOTT, Director United States Geological Survey. 1 WATER RESOURCES OF THE STATE OF COLORADO. By A. L. FELLOWS. INTRODUCTION. "'The State of Colorado, located as it is in the midst of the Rocky Mountains, the crest of the continent crossing it from north to south, and comprising as it does a vast variety of physical conditions, vary­ ing from those of the highest mountain regions, where vegetation ceases to flourish, to plains where fruits almost semitropical may be raised, furnishes a diversity of problems connected with the disposi­ tion of its water supply unequaled in number and difficulty, perhaps, by those arising in any other "State in the Union. The snows of winter, falling upon the continental divide, may furnish the moisture by which the herbage and trees of the mountains are watered, and the waters from these heights, collected in rivulets and streams, may supply the motive power for operating the stamp mills for the mines of the State, or may develop electric power that may be transmitted for running factories, or may be used for sifting out the particles of gold in the placers
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