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Reconfigured Channel Monitoring and Assessment Program

Uncompahgre River at Ridgway

Uncompahgre River at Ridgway, Colorado

NWIS Web Real-time discharge data: Uncompahgre River near Ridgway

Location:

NW ¼ of Sec 16, T45N, R8W, Ouray County, Colo. The monitoring reach begins at the Highway 62 bridge in Ridgway and extends approximately 3,400 ft downstream. Streamflow gaging station 09146200 Uncompahgre River near Ridgway, Colo., is approximately 1.8 river miles downstream from the lower end of the monitoring reach, located at Lat 38^o11'02", Long 107^o44'43",on the right bank 15 ft downstream from County Road 24 bridge, 0.2 mi downstream from Dry Creek.

Reason for Reconfiguration:

The Uncompahgre River carries a high bedload of coarse material and has a braided channel with unstable bed and banks and shallow flow depth. Alluvial gravel mining upstream and in the lower part of the study reach has contributed to instability.

Present Status (February 2006):

Approximately 3,000 ft of the Uncompahgre River was reconfigured in phases between October 2003 and July 2004, beginning near the bridge the first year and continuing downstream the second year. A 3,400-ft reach was monumented, surveyed, and photographed by the USGS in October 2003 that included approximately 800 ft of recently reconfigured channel immediately below the Highway 62 bridge and 2,600 ft of unaltered channel downstream. A second USGS survey was made in July 2004 of the entire 3,400-ft reach after reconfiguration activities were completed. A third USGS survey was made in July 2005.

More about Uncompahgre