Gunnison River

Highlighted the western United States, Gunnison River

The Gunnison River at dusk in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

The Gunnison River is a tributary of the Colorado River in the U.S. state of Colorado. Its length is about 290 km. The catchment area of the Gunnison Rivers comprises 20,535 km ². Regarding the average river discharge, it is the fifth largest tributary of the Colorado River.

Course

The Gunnison River is formed by the confluence of the East River and Taylor River at Almont in Gunnison County. It then flows westwards through the 20 km long Blue Mesa Reservoir, the Morrow Point Reservoir and the Crystal Reservoir, which together form the Curecanti National Recreation Area and are located in the upper part of the canyon, which gave its name to the National Park. The three reservoirs are used to generate electricity by hydropower. From Cimarron to Gunnison River which follows a north-western direction through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Gunnison Gorge the.

East of Montrose, a part of the river water is diverted to irrigate the Uncompahgre Valley. For the 8-km long Gunnison Tunnel was built between 1905 and 1909, which was recorded as a unique engineering feat of its time in the list of National Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

At its mouth the Gunnison River near Grand Junction in the Colorado River, he performs nearly as much water as this itself

The width of the Gunnison River varies from 30 to 300 meters and the depth varies between one and fifteen meters. The strong current and many rapids take a ride up the river almost impossible. The river, however, can be navigated by small vehicles along its entire length, although individual sections because of the rapids are not passable.

The left tributaries are: Tomichi Creek ( in Gunnison ), Lake Fork ( Blue Mesa Reservoir ), Uncompahgre River ( Delta ), Escalante Creek, Big Dominguez Creek.

Rights tributaries are: Smith Fork, North Fork, Tongue Creek ( at the Delta ).

The river was named after Captain John Gunnison, of the Lake Fork of the Gunnison crossed in September, 1853, the Black Canyon, however, regarded as impassable. John Gunnison was killed the following year, with seven other members of his expedition group in Utah by Indians.

Hydrology

The United States Geological Survey operates a level near Grand Junction. The annual average discharge is 122 m³ / s The highest value was registered s with 999 m³ / May 23, 1920, the lowest observed flow were 3 m³ / s on July 20, 1934.

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