DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FRANKLIN K. LANE, Secretary UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, Director Water-Supply Paper 395 COLORADO RIVER AND ITS UTILIZATION BY E. C. LA RUE WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1916 ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THIS PUBIJCATION MAY BE PROCURED FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON, D. C. AT 50 CENTS PEE COPY CONTENTS. Introduction by N. C. Grover.............................................. 9 Acknowledgments.......................................................... 11 Physical features of the Colorado River basin............................... 12 Explorations.............................................................. 16 Population................................................................. 22 Comparison with the basin of the Nile....................................... 22 Water supply.............................................................. 24 Gaging stations........................................................ 24 Publications.......................................................... 31 Green River basin..................................................... 36 The main stream................................................... 36 Principal tributaries................................................ 39 Blacks Pork................................................... 39 Henrys Fork.................................................. 39 Yampa River................................................. 39 Ashley Creek................................................. 39 Duchesne River............................................... 40 White River.................................................. 40 Minnie Maud Creek........................................... 40 Price River.................................................... 40 San Raf ael River.............................................. 40 Discharge records............................ ; ..................... 41 Green River at Green River, Wyo............................... 41 Green River near Bridgeport, Utah.............................. 44 Green River at Jensen, Utah................................... 45 Green River at Little Valley, near Green River, Utah............ 45 Blacks Fork at Granger, Wyo................................... 48 Yampa River at Craig, Colo.................................... 50 Yampa River near Maybell, Colo................................ 52 Williams Fork at Hamilton, Colo................................ 53 Little Snake River near Dixon, Wyo............................. 54 Duchesne River at Myton, Utah................................. 55 Uinta River at Fort Duchesne, Utah............................. 58 Uinta River at Ouray School, Utah.............................. 60 White River at Meeker, Colo................................... 62 Price River near Helper, Utah.................................. 63 San Rafael River near Green River, Utah....................... 66 Grand River basin..................................................... 67 The main stream................................................... 67 Principal tributaries................................................ 69 Roaring Fork..............................................'... 69 Gunnison River............................................... 69 Dolores River................................................. 70 3 4 CONTENTS. Water supply Continued. Grand River basin Continued. Page. Discharge records............................... ,.................. 71 Grand River near Kremmling, Colo.............................. 71 Grand River at Glenwood Springs, Colo.......................... 73 Grand River near Palisades, Colo............................... 77 Grand River at Grand Junction, Colo............................ 79 Grand River near Fruita, Colo................................... > 80 Grand River near Moab, Utah.. ............................... 82 Roaring Fork at Glenwood Springs, Colo........................ 83 Gunnison River at Whitewater, Colo............................ 85 Gunnison River near Grand Junction, Colo....................... 86 Dolores River at Dolores, Colo................................... 86 San Miguel River at Fall Creek, Colo........................... 89 San Miguel River at Placerville, Colo............................ 90 Colorado River below mouth of Grand River.............................. 90 General features................................................... 90 Principal tributaries................................................ 92 Fremont River................................................. 92 Escalante River................................................ 92 San Juan River................................................ 93 Paria River................................................... 93 Kanab Creek................................................... 93 Little Colorado River........................................... 93 Virgin River................................................... 94 Williams River................................................. 94 Gila River..................................................... 95 Discharge records.................................................. 95 Colorado River at Hardyville, Ariz............................. 95 Colorado River at Yuma, Ariz.................................. 96 Fremont River near Thurber, Utah............................. 99 Muddy Creek at county bridge near Emery, Utah ............... 101 Escalante Creek near Escalante, Utah............................ 101 San Juan River at Farmington, N. Mex......................... 102 San Juan River at Shiprock, N. Mex............................ 104 Animas River at Farmington, N. Mex........................... 104 La Plata River near La Plata, N. Mex........................... 105 Mancos River at Mancos, Colo................................... 107 West Mancos River near Mancos, Colo........................... 108 Little Colorado River at Holbrook, Ariz......................... 108 Virgin River at Virgin, Utah.................................... 109 Santa Clara Creek near St. George, Utah......................... 110 Williams River near Swansea, Ariz.............................. 112 Gila River at Dome, Ariz....................................... 112 Irrigation................................................................. 113 History of development................................................ 113 Present and prospective irrigation systems.............................. 116 Basins below Grand River.......................................... 116 Gila River basin.............................................. 116 Williams River basin ........................................... 117 Kanab Creek basin............................................. 118 Paria River basin............................................. 118 Virgin River basin............................................ 119 CONTENTS. 5 Irrigation Continued. Present and prospective irrigation system Continued. Basins below Grand River Continued. Page. Little Colorado River basin..................................... 120 San Juan River basin.......................................... 121 Escalante River basin.......................................... 123 Fremont River basin.................................:.-........ 124 Grand River basin................................................. 125 Green River basin. ..................... ^.......................... 127 General conditions............................................ 127 San Rafael River.............................................. 128 Price River................................................... 128 Minnie Maud Creek........................................... 129 White River.................................................. 129 Duchesne River............................................... 130 Ashley Creek................................................. 131 Yampa River................................................. 131 Henrys Fork.................................................. 132 Minor tributaries............................................... 133 Streams of the basin in Wyoming................................ 133 Irrigation in Utah directly from Green River................... 134 Summary for Green River basin................................ 134 Irrigation from Colorado River direct................................ 136 General conditions............................................ 136 Duty of water.................................................. 136 Irrigation between Cottonwood Valley and Laguna dam......... 139 Below Laguna dam............................................. 140 Yuma project.............................................. 140 Imperial Valley project..................................... 140 Irrigable lands in Mexico................................... 144 Water diverted from the Colorado basin to other drainage basins.......... 145 Points of diversion ................................................ 145 Diversion from Green River basin.................................. 146 Strawberry Valley tunnel...................................... 146 Daniels Pass diversions ....................................... 147 Soldier Summit diversion ..................................... 148 Duchesne and Provo rivers diversion............................ 148 Diversion from Virgin River basin................................... 149 Diversions from Grand River basin, Colo............................. 149 General conditions............................................ 149 Grand