WATER-POWER RESOURCES OF 

CRYSTAL RIVER, COLORADO
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

W. E. Wrather, Director

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 292

WATER-POWER RESOURCES OF CRYSTAL RIVER, COLORADO

By Fred F. Lawrence

Washington, D. C., 1953

Free on application to the Geological Survey, Washington 25, D. C.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 292 PLATE 1

7 8 Miles

Proposed developments shown in red

PS Indicates power site 

SS Indicates storage site 

Gaging station O Weather station

MAP OF THE CRYSTAL RIVER, COLORADO, SHOWING THE LOCATION OF POWER AND STORAGE SITES
WATERPOWER RESOURCES OF CRYSTAL RIVER, COLORADO

By Fred F. Lawrence

CONTENTS

Page

Abstract.............................. 1

Introduction.......................... 2

Purpose and scope................... 2

Previous investigations and reports. 2

Maps................................ 2

Future work......................... 2

Power site index numbers............ 2

Geography and history................. 3

Present water use................... 3

Water supply.......................... 4

Precipitation....................... 4

Runoff.............................. 4

Ground water........................ 8

Transmountain diversions.., 

Water utilization plan. 

Stream regulation..........

Storage sites............

Regulated streamflow. 

Waterpower.................

Developed waterpower.

Undeveloped waterpower.., 

Unregulated waterpower, 

Regulated waterpower..,

Use of power......i......

Literature cited...........

Page

8

9

9

10

13

13

13

13

14

16

17

17

ILLUSTRATIONS

Page 

Plate 1. Map of the Crystal River, Colorado, showing the location of power and storage

sites................................................................ Frontispiece

Figure 1. Annual distribution of precipitation at Aspen, Glenwood Springs, and Marble.... 4

2. Annual distribution of runoff in the Crystal River............................. 5

3. Daily flow duration curve for Crystal River near Redstone...................... 7

4. Daily flow duration curve for Crystal River at Marble.......................... 7

5. Area and capacity curves for the Schofield Park, Lead King, Little Snowmass

Lake, Crystal, Redstone, and Marble reservoir sites.......................... 11

6. Area and capacity curves for the Placita, Chair Mountain, Hot Springs, and

Mount Sopris reservoir sites................................................. 12

ABSTRACT

The Crystal River drains the western slope 

of the Elk Mountains, a relatively small 

range in the southern Rocky Mountain province, and flows into the Roaring Fork 13 

miles southeast of Glenwood Springs, Colo. 

The lower 7 miles of the valley is cultivated, but upstream from this stretch the 

valley is narrow and is used mainly for summer grazing and recreation. Above the mouth 

of Thompson Creek, numerous dam sites are 

available, but the narrow valley and steep

gradient do not favor storage for regulation 

of streamflow. The potential power from the 

natural flow of the stream in an average year 

is estimated to be 4,750 kilowatts for 95 

percent of the time; 5,102 kw for 90 percent 

of the time; 10,570 kw for 50 percent of the 

time; and 36,940 kw at mean flow. Using the 

regulated flow resulting from the utilization 

of feservoirs at Marble and Redstone, the 

potential power is estimated to be 26,510 kw 

for 90 percent of the time and 27,810 kw for 

50 percent of the time.

1
INTRODUCTION 

Purpose and Scope

This report is one of a series prepared 

primarily to assist in the classification of 

lands within the public domain as to their 

value in the development of hydroelectric 

power. The power sites to be discussed have 

little, if any, present value because of the 

relatively high cost of development. However, it is impossible to foresee changes 

which may make their development economically 

feasible. The purpose of the land classification work is to locate all possible power 

sites and to influence other cultural growth 

in such a way afs to avoid interference with 

an orderly development of the waterpower resources of the basin.

Previous Investigations and Reports

The Redstone Marble Company investigated 

power sites on the Crystal River, near Redstone, and in 1909 filed two reservoir site 

maps, called reservoir sites no. 3 and no. 

4, in the office of the State Engineer of 

Colorado. These maps are complete to 125 

feet and 100 feet, respectively, above the 

water surface of the river at the dam sites 

and are on an assumed datum. The sites were 

covered more completely by a 1934 river survey map, and accordingly the earlier maps 

were not used in the preparation of this report. Site no. 3 is referred to in this report as the Placita reservoir site (storage 

site 9DF 3) and site no. 4 as the Hot Springs 

reservoir site (storage site 9DF 4). These 

sites were not developed.

Follansbee (1929, p. 170-171 and 305-307) 

has discussed the developed waterpower and 

summarized streamflow records up to 1927. 

The geology of the area has been discussed 

by Holmes (1876, p. 67), Vanderwilt (1932, 

p. 3-18), Vanderwilt and Fuller (1935, p. 

439-464), Vanderwilt (1938), and Emmons, 

Cross, and Eldridge (1894), but no detailed 

geologic investigations have been made at 

any of the dam sites described in this report.

Maps

A river survey map entitled "Plan and Profile of Crystal River, Colorado, from Carbondale to Marble, Dam Site" was published by 

the U. S. Geological Survey in 1939. The 

field work was done in 1934. The scale of 

the map is 1:31,680 with a contour interval 

of 20 feet on land and 5 feet on the water 

surface and with topography complete to about 

200 feet above the river. The Crystal River

dam site (referred to in this report as the 

Hot Springs dam site) is shown on the map to 

a scale of 1:4,800 with a contour interval 

of 10 feet. The r?'.ver survey map is published in 2 sheets, 1 plan and 1 profile. , 

That portion of the valley upstream from 

Marble is shown on a U. S. Geological Survey 

special map entitled "Snowmass Mountain and 

Vicinity, Colorado." The scale is 1:31,680, 

and the contour interval is 00 feet. The 

two-mile reach of the Crystal River between 

Carbondale and its mouth is shown on sheet 1 

of the river survey map of the Roaring Fork 

published in 1941 and entitled "Plan and Profile, Roaring Fork, Colorado, from Colorado 

River to Mile 55." The field work was done 

in 1938. The scale of the map is 1:31,680 

with a contour interval of 20 feet on land 

and 5 feet on the water surface. The map is 

published in 5 sheets, 3 plan and 2 profile. 

The river survey maps are available from the 

U. S. Geological Survey, Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado, or Washington, D. C., 

for 10 cents a sheet, or 20 and 50 cents a 

set, respectively, and the special map is 

available at a price of 20 cents.

The Crystal River basin and surrounding 

areas are shown on a planimetric map of the 

White River National Forest, scale: 1 inch 

equals 4 miles, prepared by the U. S. Forest 

Service. This map is available from the 

Regional Forester, U. S. Forest Service, 

Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado, or 

from U. S. Forest Service offices within the 

White River National Forest.

Future Work

A geologic reconnaissance of all the dam 

sites between Thompson Creek and Marble is 

needed to eliminate from future consideration any sites which are obviously not feasible for geologic reasons. For all favorable sites large-scale topographic maps and 

detailed geologic examinations should be 

made.

Power Site Index Numbers

For convenience in identifying power sites 

in the United States, the U. S. Geological 

Survey has divided the country into 12 major 

divisions conforming to its principal drainage basins. Each of these basins has been 

subdivided, and each subdivision has been 

further divided. The major drainage basins 

are designated by numbers from 1 to 12, and 

the subdivisions and minor subdivisions are 

both designated by a system of lettering. 

Thus, the area under discussion here is in 

major drainage basin 9, which includes the 

entire basin of the Colorado River. The
first or major subdivision is lettered "D," 

which iricludes the Colorado River basin above 

the mouth of the Green River exclusive of the 

Gunnison River basin. The second, or minor 

subdivision, is lettered "F," which includes 

all the basin of the Roaring Fork. Therefore, all power sites within the Roaring Fork 

basin, which includes the Crystal River basin, 

will be designated 9DF followed by a number. 

These numbers are assigned in chronological 

order; that is, the first site investigated 

and reported upon became site 9DF 1, the 

second became 9DF 2, and so on. In the Roaring Fork basin, the following index numbers 

have already been used in Water-Supply Paper 

617: developed storage, 9DF 1 to 2; undeveloped storage, 9DF 1 to 5; developed power, 

9DF 1 to 4 (sites 9DF 2, 3, and 4 described 

in Water-Supply Paper 617 have been dismantled); undeveloped power, 9DF 1 to 11. For 

this reason, the following index numbers 

have been assigned to sites in the Crystal 

River basin in this report: developed storage, none; undeveloped storage, 9DF 6 to 13; 

developed power, none; undeveloped power, 

9DF 12 to 19.

GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

The Crystal River drains a comparatively 

narrow valley which lies between the valleys 

of the Roaring Fork on the east, the Gunnison 

River on the south, and the Colorado River 

on the west, and trends from south to north. 

The altitude of the stream where it enters 

the Roaring Fork is 6,050 feet, and the highest point in the basin is the summit of 

Maroon Peak, altitude 14,168 feet.

The Crystal River valley is one of the 

many beautiful spots in Colorado and is 

visited each summer by numerous tourists and 

sportsmen. The sides of the valley are steep, 

and the lower portions are covered with aspen 

and other vegetation common to the area. The 

higher slopes are bare rock, and the peaks 

are snow covered until late in summer.

The now abandoned town of Schofield, located a mile or two north of Schofield Pass, 

was the first settlement in the valley. It 

was surveyed and platted in 1879. Established a year or two later at the confluence 

of North and South Forks of the Crystal River, 

Crystal was a prosperous mining town in the 

1880's with a population of approximately 

500 and at least six producing silver-leadzinc mines nearby. By 1916 the population 

had dwindled to 75, and today the site is 

completely abandoned. Marble, at the mouth 

of Carbonate Creek, began as a mining camp 

but later grew larger because of the deposits 

of high-grade marble nearby. Vanderwilt 

(1938, p. 152-174) has discussed these marble

deposits, giving a detailed history of the 

quarrying operations and including some excellent photographs. The town reached its 

peak during the period 1910-13 when it had a 

population of 1,500; however, by 1950 its 

population was reduced to 8 persons. Prior 

to a fire in 1926, the marble-finishing mill 

was reputed to be the largest in the world, 

Placita, 7 miles downstream from Marble, was 

a coal-mining town. Redstone, 3 miles farther downstream was originally built as the 

headquarters of the Crystal River Railroad 

and as a processing site where coal from Coal 

Basin, 12 miles to the west, and from Placita 

was* made into coke. Some 200 coke ovens were 

in operation there in 1902. The town is now 

a resort with about 40 summer homes. Carbondale, with a population of 441 in 1950, lies 

2 miles southeast of the mouth of the Crystal 

River and is a station on the Denver & Rio 

Grande Western Railroad's branch line from 

Glenwood Springs to Aspen.

The valley is served by an all-weather road 

from Carbondale to Marble, with an unimproved 

road continuing to Crystal. A railroad, 

which was dismantled in 1942, ran from Carbondale to Marble.

Present Water Use

Irrigation is practiced extensively in the 

lower 7 miles of the valley. According to 

records in the Colorado State Engineer's office, 16 ditches with adjudicated rights to 

318.7 cubic feet per second of water were in 

use during the irrigation season of 1951. Of 

this, 291.3 cfs was diverted from the Crystal 

River, 21.4 cfs from Thompson Creek, and 6.0 

cfs from Thomas Creek. An estimated 60,000 

acre-feet of water was diverted in that year. 

Eight thousand six hundred forty-five acres 

of land lie under these ditches, and presumably most of it was irrigated in 1951. The 

irrigation season in 1951 extended generally 

from May 15 to October 1, but two diversions 

from Thompson Creek were cut off on August 1, 

probably because of lack of water.

In addition to the above diversions, the 

State Game and Fish Department diverts 10 cfs 

from Crystal River at mile 1.5 i/ for use in 

a trout-rearing station. This water, which 

is diverted only when the river is clear, 

supplements 6 to 12 cfs obtained from springs 

on the west or left bank just "above the station.

I/Where mileage is given in this report, 

it refers to that shown on the 1934 river 

survey map of the Crystal River. To obtain 

mileage from the mouth of the river, add 2.0 

miles.
WATER SUPPLY 

Precipitation

Weather records within the Crystal River 

basin are limited to those gathered at Marble 

from January 1910 to March 1917. They consist of the usual daily maximum and minimum 

temperature readings and daily amounts of 

precipitation. Nearby but out-of-basin stations are at Aspen to the east, where fragmentary records between 1888 and 1914 and 

complete records from October 1914 to June 

1919 and June 1934 to date were obtained; 

and at Glenwood Springs to the north, where 

rather complete records have been kept since 

1903. The location of these stations is 

shown on plate 1. Correlation between the 

record at Marble and that at Glenwood Springp 

is poor; while at Aspen and Marble, where 

there are only 2 years of parallel record, 

the correlation is better but still not close 

enough to permit extension of the Marble 

record.

The annual distribution of precipitation 

at Marble (see fig. l) is typical of the 

region, with fairly even distribution throughout the year. The mean of 3.37 inches for 

January is probably somewhat higher than the 

long-time normal.

The record of runoff at the gaging station 

at Marble shows that the mean annual runoff 

for the area above the station for the years 

1911-15 was 44 inches. Follansbee (1929) 

has estimated that in the mountainous regions of Colorado the precipitation exceeds 

runoff by 15 inches. Therefore, the mean, 

precipitation for that part of the basin 

lying above Marble was about 59 inches. 

Since the measured mean precipitation at 

Marble for these same 5 years was only 27 

inches, it seems likely that precipitation 

on the highest peaks was considerably in 

excess of 75 inches. In 1914, a very wet 

year, the runoff from the drainage area 

above the gaging station at Marble was 54 

inches, and the precipitation at Marble was 

only 31.7 inches; accordingly, the precipitation on the highest peaks possibly exceeded 100 inches.

Runoff

Gaging stations have been operated by the 

U. S. Geological Survey at three sites on 

the Crystal River and one on Thompson Creek 

(see plate 1) as follows:

Crystal River near Carbondale 1908-9

Crystal River at Marble 1910-17

Crystal River near Redstone 1935-

Thompson Creek near Carbondale Oct. 1, 1950-

1915-19 1935-51 

Aspen

. . o -=: OJ - -t-J 

-i-* >Oc_Q*- i-5rc -^ OO Q. 

<->oaj<c -53n5Q.n3-3-3 =jcL) 02Q-siZs:<s:-5-^<tn 

1911-17 

Marble

_

ozo

1903-49 

Glenwood Springs

Figure 1. Annual distribution of precipitation at Aspen, Glenwood Springs, and Marble

Nine miscellaneous measurements were made 

on the Crystal River, and 13 were made on 

tributaries in the years 1907, 1908, and 

1909. The results of these measurements 

have been published in Water-Supply Papers 

249 and 269 and are summarized as follows:

Location

Crystal River: 

At Carbondale 

1 Mile west of

Carbondale

At Sewell, near 

Carbondale 

At Hot Springs

At Redstone

Date

Dec. 20, 1907

Feb. 12, 1908 

Feb. 29

Apr. 1 

Apr. 4

Jan. 15, 1909 

Jan. 15 

Mar. 18

Jan. 14

Discharge 

(cfs)

93

100 

90

120 

124

111 

76 

62

58
Location

Tributaries to

Crystal River:

Thompson Greek

at Sewell, near

Carbondale

Nettle Creek at

Sewell, near

Carbondale

Avalanche Creek

at mouth

Coal Creek near

Redstone

Yule Creek at

Marble

Date

July 18, 1908

Aug. 25

Sept. 9

Oc1?. 30

Dec. 3

Mar. 18, 1909

Apr. 22

Mar. 29, 1908

Jan. 15, 1909

Mar. 18

Jan. 15

Mar. 17

Mar. 29, 1908

Discharge 

(cfs)

6.6

10.2

*.5

11.2

#8

*9

40*0

6

20

20

6.2

11

6

*Estimated

In addition to these miscellaneous measurements, the flows in several irrigation ditches 

were measured during the same period. These 

measurements are also listed in Water-Supply 

Papers 249 and 269.

The complete history and record of streamgaging operations in the Crystal River basin 

are contained in the following Water-Supply 

Papers of the U. S. Geological Survey:

Year

1908

1909

1910

1911

1912

1913

1914

1915

1916

1917

1935

1936

1937

Water-Supply 

Paper

249

269

289

309

329

359

389

409

439

459

789

809

829

Year

1938

1939

1940

1941

1942

1943

1944

1945

1946

1947

1948

1949

1950

Water-Supply 

Paper

859

879

899

929

959

979

1009

1039

1059

1089

1119

1149

1179

warm springs above the gage keep its control 

practically free of ice.

The above-mentioned data are the only ones 

available for making estimates of streamflow 

at the various storage and power sites in the 

Crystal River basin. Therefore, these estimates are subject to considerable error, and 

an extensive program of stream, gaging should 

be established several years prior to making 

the detailed studies that necessarily precede 

the actual development of the water resources 

of the stream.

The runoff characteristics of the Crystal 

River are similar to those of other Western 

Slope streams in Colorado without natural 

storage. A large part of the precipitation 

falls as snow and appears as runoff in the 

months of May through July. Seventy-five 

percent of the annual runoff at the gaging 

station near Redstone occurs in the 3-month 

period, while only 7 percent of the runoff 

occurs in the 4-month period of December 

through March. At Marble 78 percent of the 

annual runoff occurs between May 1 and July 

31, while only 4 percent occurs between 

December 1 and March 31. The annual distribution of the runoff by months at these two 

stations is shown in figure 2.

Near Redstone ' At Marble

1935-51 1911-H

Drainage area 225 square miles Drainage area 14 square miles

Figure 2. Annual distribution of runoff in 

the Crystal River

The nearest long-time streamflow record is 

that of the Roaring Fork at Glenwood Springs, 

This record is complete from October 1, 1905, 

to the time of this writing, except for all 

the water year beginning October 1, 1909. 

This is an exceptionally good record, because

The total annual runoff of the stream 

varies widely from year to year. In 1934 it 

is estimated to have been 162,000 acre-feet, 

while in 1914 it is estimated to have been 

476,000 acre-feet.
The gaging station on the Crystal River 

near Redstone has been operated from May 

1935 to the present time. The streamflow 

record for the period May 1935 to September 

1951 was used in the preparation of this report. This record was extended to cover the 

period 1905-9 and 1911-34 by comparison with 

the record for the Roaring Fork at Glenwood 

Springs, using monthly mean flows. This was 

done primarily to determine which years 

should be selected as wet, average, and dry 

ones for more detailed study. Since daily 

flow duration curves are desirable in making 

power estimates and since daily flows were 

not available prior to May 1935, an effort 

was made to find a year in the period 1936-

51 which would fit into each category. The 

year 1936 fits well as an average year and 

1940 as a dry year, but there was no year in 

the period 1936-51 which compared in wetness 

to 1912, 1914, or 1918. In order to obtain 

daily flow duration estimates for a wet year 

during the period 1936-51, a composite curve 

was plotted which approximated that for the 

year 1914 (fig. 3). Within the period 1936- 

51, months that had a total flow approximately equal to corresponding months in the 

1914 water year were used. The mean monthly 

flows during this year and the corresponding 

months and flows chosen, all for the gaging 

station near Redstone, are shown as follows:

Month

Oct. 1913

Nov. 1913

Dec. 1913

Jan. 1914

Feb. 1914

Mar. 1914

Apr. 1914

May 1914

June 1914

July 1914

Aug. 1914

Sept. 1914

Totals

Estimated runoff 

(second-foot days)

4,960

3,780

2,740

2,270

2,310

2,950

7,970

55,220

83,820

60,580

8,510

4,880

239,990

Month

Oct. 1941

Nov. 1948

Dec. 1948

Jan. 1938

Feb. 1937

Mar. 1939

Apr. 1939

May 1941

June 1938

June 1950

Aug. 1943

Sept. 1939

Runoff 

(second-foot days)

5,200

3,877

2,808

2,267

2,187

2,774

7,237

47,036

66,530

59,030

8,708

4,885

212,539

In the following discussion, the capital 

letter Q is used to represent flow of water 

in second-feet and P to represent power in 

kilowatts. The percentage of time that flow

or power would be available is indicated by 

a number immediately following the letter. 

For example, Q50 indicates the flow available 50 percent of the time.

Significant flows at Redstone (from fig. 3)

Year

Dry 

Average 

Wet

Q95

cfs

53 

62 

67

cfs per 

sq mile

0.24 

.28 

.30

Q90

cfs

58 

66 

73

cfs per 

sq mile

0.26 

.29 

.32

Q50

cfs

96 

110 

148

cfs per 

sq mile

0.43 

.49 

.66

Qmefcn

cfs

268 

395 

588

cfs per 

sq mile

1.19 

1.76 

2.61

Mean flow 15 years (1936-50) 

Mean flow 44 years (estimated) 

Drainage area above station

393 second-feet 

406 second-feet 

225 square miles
The gaging station at Marble was in operation from November 1, 1910, to September 30, 

1918; however, only gage heights are available for the water years 1916 and 1918. 

Daily flow duration estimates were computed 

for the 4 years 1912-15, and the significant 

data therefrom are presented in figure 4.

1600 

1500 

1400 

1300 

1200 

1100 

1000

H 900 

-6

o 800 o

! 700

o 600 

u_

500 

400 

300 

200 

100

°c

*

-1

-5T

I

-

it-

\

\\

\\

yye;

* z-

\\

V ^

\rx»S

-Wet

-Ave

V\

V

yea

 age

^

Year

Dry

Average

Wet

Q95

53

62

67

Q9o

58

66

73

Qso

96

110

148

^mean

268

395

588

Mean flow 15 years 369

Drainage area 225 square miles

r

year

~-~ ,

""""^Y

^5=fe== eSSS BBS

) 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 

Percent of time

Figure 3. Daily flow duration curve for 

Crystal River near Redstone

1600 

1500

1400 

1300

liUU

1100

1000 

"SS

 3Z. yuu -6

I 8°° 

.£ 70° 

J 600.

U500 

400 

300 

200 

100

c

\

\

\

\

\

191

*

\

\

3^

914

\

\

\\

V^s^

"***

Year

1914

1913

QOB

?4

26

QqO

?7

28

Qso

67

64

Mean 1911-15, 1917

Est. mean 1906-50

^mean

307

180

252

208

Drainage area 77 square miles

-is - ,

) 10 20 30 40 50 60 

Percent of time

70 80 90 100

Figure 4.-»-Daily flow duration curve for 

Crystal River at Marble

Significant flows at Marble (from fig. 4)

Year

1912 

1913

1914

1915

1912-15 

Estimated

average

Q95

cfs

26 26'

24

22

23

25

cfs per 

sq mile

0.34 

.34

.31

.29

.30

0.32

Q90

cfs

27 

28

27

22

26

27

cfs per 

sq mile

0.35 

.36

.35

.29

.34

0.35

Q50

cfs

72 

64

67

72

68

68

cfs per 

sq mile

0.94 

.83

.87

.94

.88

0.88

Qmean

cfs

280 

180

307

314

245

230

cfs per 

sq mile

3.64 

2.34

3.99

4.08

3.18

2.99
8

Comparison of these data with those for 

the streamflow at the station near Redstone 

indicates that the unit flow available 95 

and 90 percent of the time in an average 

year is approximately the same at the two 

stations, but that the unit flow available 

50 percent of the time in an average year is 

80 percent greater at Marble and the mean 

unit flow in an average year is 70 percent 

greater at Marble.

Streamflow estimates at the several power 

sites (see pi. l) have been made from these 

data for an average year. The flow for the 

sites at and upstream from Marble was determined by multiplying the unit runoff at 

Marble by the drainage area above the sites. 

For those sites below Marble, the Q95, Q90, 

Q50, and Qmean flows at each of the two stations were plotted against their respective 

drainage areas on rectangular coordinate 

paper. The flows for intermediate sites and 

the site below the Bedstone gaging station 

were then read from the straight lines connecting each pair of points. As with any 

method that relies solely on drainage area 

ratios for streamflow estimates, this method 

is subject to large errors. Miscellaneous 

discharge measttrements should be made at each 

proposed point of diversion before more detailed power studies are undertaken.

Estimated streamflow in an average year

Power site 

index no.

9DF 12

9DF 13

9DF 14

9DF 15

9DF 16

9DF 17

9DF 18

9DF 19

Drainage 

area 

sq mile

39.8

46.7

77

94

106

162

168

215

Q95 

cfs

13

15

25

29

31

47

48

60

Q90 

cfs

14

16

27

31

34

50

51

65

Q50 

cfs

35

41

68

72

76

92

93

108

Qmean 

cfs

119

140

230

250

263

327

332

388

The maximum discharge of the Crystal River 

at both the gaging stations near Redstone and 

at Marble occurs during the period of melting 

snow. Although the area is subject to summer 

storms in late July and August, these storms 

are localized and do not cause excessive runoff in the main stream. During the summer of 

1952, several such storms caused washouts 

along the side streams and closed the roads 

for short periods. High water on Avalanche 

Creek washed out the road to the Avalanche 

Creek Campground and marooned campers for 

several days. The maximum discharge during 

the period of record (1935-52) at the gaging 

station near Redstone was 4,400 cfs or 19.6 

cfs per square mile on June 21, 1938. At 

Marble the maximum discharge observed during

the period of record (1911-15 and 1917) was 

2,380 cfs or 30.9 cfs per square mile on 

June 25, 1917.

Ground Water

In 1942 the Geological Survey established 

a network of key observation wells in order 

to make available current information on general ground water conditions throughout the 

country. The wells were selected because 

the fluctuations of water level in them are 

believed to be typical of the general fluctuations that occur in the parts of the 

country in which the wells are situated. 

Two such wells, located in the Crystal River 

area, were added to this network on September 10, 1942. Well 79 is located near the 

mouth of the Crystal River on the right bank 

of the Roaring Fork in the NW^-NE^: sec. 29, 

T. 7 S., R. 88 W., and well 79A is located 

near the mouth of Thompson Creek, on the west 

side of the Crystal River valley, in the SW^ 

NW^; sec. 27, T. 8 S., R. 88 W. The water 

levels in these wells have been published in 

the following Water-Supply Papers:

Year Water-Supply Paper

1 Q49 _____----

1945 ---------

1946 .........

1 QAQ ______«.__

1QRO _ _ _ _ _

Q4.R

990

1020

1 097

1075

1100

11 3D

1 1 Cf\

11 fiQ

TRANSMOUNTAIN DIVERSIONS

At the time of this writing, no water was 

being diverted from the basin except a small 

amount for irrigation which was used in the 

Roaring Fork valley immediately across the 

divide southwest of Carbondale.

It has been suggested that water could be 

diverted from near the headwaters (at or 

above the confluence of the North and South 

Forks of the Crystal River) through the 

divide into the Gunnison River basin and 

then by means of a system of canals and tunnels through the Continental Divide into the 

Arkansas River basin. Such a development 

would tre very expensive, but the need for 

additional water is becoming very acute in 

the Arkansas River basin, and the demand may 

become great enough to justify the high costs 

involved.

It has also been suggested that water could 

be diverted from the Crystal River near Redstone and carried by means of a system of
canals and tunnels through the divide between 

the headwaters of Thompson Creek and Divide 

Creek to irrigate lands on the south side of 

the Colorado River between the Roaring Fork 

and Horsethief Creek near Debeque, Colo. 

This project would require storage, probably 

at either the Redstone or Placita reservoir 

sites on the Crystal River and would, if developed, greatly reduce the potential power 

downstream from the point of diversion.

WATER UTILIZATION PLAN

The water resources of the Crystal River 

can be developed in any one of several ways, 

and the plan finally chosen will be selected 

after a rather detailed, rigid analysis of 

the relative needs for municipal and industrial water supply, irrigation, and waterpower. These various needs and their relative importance change with the passage of 

time, and such an analysis of them is neither 

warranted nor practical in a report such as 

this. Instead, an attempt will be made to 

show the magnitude of the streamflow, the 

amount of storage available, and estimate 

the power which could be produced from the 

natural flow and utilizing storage to increase the low water flow.

Below mile 5.1, which point is 0.4 mile upstream from the mouth of Thompson Creek, diversion for irrigation utilize such a large 

part o> the flow durtng the irrigation season 

that power development is not practical. 

Above this point, practically all the 2,530 

feet of hea" up to the junction of the North 

and the South Forks of the Crystal River can 

be developed.

The flow of the Crystal River is rather 

low in winter and early spring, and the firm 

power from a run-of-river plant would be 

small. However, if the power were to be 

used within the valley, the peak demand 

would occur in the summer and fall during 

the vacation and hunting seasons when the 

flow is higher.

To illustrate the power possibilities utilizing run-of-river plants and to show the 

regulatory effect of storage, two plans of 

development are presented in this report. 

The first, or natural-flow plan, provides 

for the development of all but 32 feet of 

the 2,530 feet of head available between 

mile 5.1 and the confluence of the North and 

South Forks of the Crystal River. All this 

2,498 feet of head would be utilized in 

diversion-and-conduit-type developments with 

dams just high enough to provide for the diversion works. Eight such plants have been 

selected and assigned power site index numbers 9DF 12 through 9DF 19.

The second or egulated-flow plan, provides for developing the same head as in the 

natural-flow plan except for the loss incurred 

through fluctuations of the water level in 

the proposed reservoirs. The tailrace of a 

plant upstream from a reservoir must be at or 

above the altitude of the water level when 

the reservoir is full. As the water level 

drops in the reservoir, some loss in head 

occurs. Storage reservoirs are proposed at 

Marble and at Redstone with powerplants several miles downstream from each of the dams. 

Six run-of-river plants, in addition to the 

two plants mentioned above, are proposed. 

These sites are not necessarily the most favorable ones on the stream, but t, ey serve 

to show the magnitude of the waterpower 

available. The dam and powerhouse sites for 

the two plans are the same except as indicated in the discussion under regulated 

power.

STREAM REGULATION

There are no developed storage sites in the 

Crystal River basin at this time. The valley 

of the Crystal River is narrow with a comparatively steep gradient. Accordingly, the 

ratio of the cost of dam construction to the 

amount of storage provided will be h gh for 

all sites. At present, very little . rivate 

property would be damaged oy the construction 

of the suggested high dams. Culture in the 

basin consists almost entirely of summer cottages, a few ranches, and the CarbondaleMarble road. Thus the inundation damage at 

all sites would be small and would compensate, 

to some degree, for the high cost of the dams.

As might be expected in a narrow valley 

such as this one, there are a number of dam 

sites. Since the topography on the 1934 

river survey map is, in general, complete to 

200 feet above the stream level, it has been 

possible to compute reservoir capacities for 

dams to at least that height for the six reservoir sites below Marble. For the four 

sites above Marble, capacities were computed 

from areas planimetered on the Snowmass Mountain and Vicinity special map { and-these 

could be computed for any desired height of 

dam.

These 10 storage sites, together with data 

pertinent thereto, are shown in the table 

below, first the seven on the main stem in 

downstream order, then the two in the North 

Fork basin, and finally the one on the South 

Fork. The sites are numbered in downstream 

order except for sites 9DF 3 and 9DF 4, 

which had already been assigned those numbers 

by Follansbee in 1929 (see pi. l). Figures 5 

and 6 which follow the table show area and 

capacity curves for all 10 sites listed in 

the table. All the sites are in the White 

River National Forest.
10

Storage Sites 

Undeveloped storage sites in the Crystal River basin

Storage 

site name 

and index 

no.

Crystal,

9DF 6

Marble,

9DF 7

Chair

Mountain,

9DF 8

Placita,

9DF 3

Redstone,

9DF 9

Hot Springs,

9DF 4

Mount

Sopris , 

9DF 10

Lead King, 

9DF 11

Little

Snowmass

Lake,

Schofield

Park,

9DF 13

Location of dam site

River 

mile

33.1

27.7

24.3

20.1

15.2

12.5

9.6

See 

re-

 marks

See

remarks

See

remarks

Land description 

sec. T. R.

unsurveyed

27 11 S. 87 W.

26 11 S. 88 W.

20 11 S. 88 W.

6 11 S. 88 W.

16- 10 S. 88 W.

17

33 9 S. 88 W.

21 9 S. 88 W.

unsurveyed land

unsurveyed land

unsurveyed land

Altitude of 

river surface 

at dam site 

Cfeet)

8,880

7,908

7,640

7,400

7,125

6,903

6,650

9,550

10,940

10,180

Probable 

maximum 

flow line 

(feet)

9,250

8,100

7,900

7,700

7,340

7,160

6,900

9,900

11,250

10,500

Remarks

Dam site is a few hundred

feet below the confluence of

the North and South Forks of

the Crystal River. Very

little flowage damage.

Dam site is about a quarter

of a mile downstream from the

mouth of Carbonate Creek and

would flood the near-ghost

town of Marble.

Dam site is about a quarter

of a mile downstream from the

mouth of Rapid Creek and

would require relocation of

road and flood one ranch.

Dam site is about half a. mile

downstream from ghost town of

Placita. The town site, one

abandoned coal mine, and two

roads wauld be flooded.

Dam site is located about 1

mile downstream from town of

Redstone. The town, the Osgood estate, and the road

would be flooded.

Dam site is about Ig; mile upstream from the mouth of

Avalanche Creek. Some ranch

land and the road would be

flooded.

Dam site is about Ig- mile

downstream from the mouth of 

Avalanche Creek. The road

would be flooded.

Dam site is at mile 1.3 on 

the North Fork of the Crystal

River. Flowage damage would

be extremely light.

Dam site is on an unnamed

tributary which flows from

the north into the North Fork

of the Crystal River 2.2

miles upstream from its confluence with the South Fork.

No appreciable flowage damage.

Dam site is on the South

Fork of the Crystal River

about 2^r miles upstream from

its confluence with the

North Fork. No appreciable

flowage damage.
500

Area,in acres 

300 200

10.450 

10,400 

~ 10,350 

1 10,300

< 

10,250

10,200 

10,150

Capa

r

X

^

/

\

^

^ v. 

^^^

><^

**~~

*****

.- -

-Area

 '

X

- 

^

. -^

\

\

10 20 3L 40 50

Capai'ty,' i thousands of ^cre-feet

SCHOFIELD PARK RESERVOIR SITE

South l-ork Crystal River 

Dam site at mile 2.4

300

Area, in acres 

200 100

9850

9800

H 

!= 975°

1 

 S 9700 

<

9650 

9600 

9550

/

Cap

/

city

Y

>s

x-

^x

\

^:

.

S

s*K

^-*

S

\

* 

s o

»--

^

^-*

Are«

s

^-

\

s

S

,

\

) 10 20 30 3 

Capacity, in thousands of acre-feet

LEAD KING RESERVOIR SITE

North Fork Crystal River 

Dam site at mile 1.3

300

11,200

11,150

K 

 « 11,100

c

I 11,050

S

11,000

10,900

c

/

apa

/

LITTLE SN

Unn

Area,in acres 

800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0

300

Area,in acres 

200 100

9200 

9150 

9100 

9050 

9000 

8950 

8900 

8850

t

Cap

/

JCityb^

y

S'

^

N

^

\

^

^

\

^^^

\

\

^^-

Srea 

\

^

\

S

-"""

^

^

) 10 20 3

Capacity,in thousands of acre-feet

CRYSTAL RESERVOIR SITE

Dam site at mile 33.1

20 

7300 

80 

60 

40 

20

80 

60 

40 

 71 on

\

>

/

A

Nk

\

Opacity

/

/

\

y

x\

/

\

\

^

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^-Area

^

^

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\

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^

N

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 

Capacity.in thousands of acre-feet

REDSTONE RESERVOIR SITE

Dam site at mile 15,2

500 

80 

60 

40 

20 

8000 

80 

60 

40

20 

7Qnn

/

f

0 5 

Figure 5. Area and capacity curves for the Schofield Park, Lead King, Lit

Lake, Crystal, Redstone, and Marble reservoir sites
12

Area,in acres

900 750 600 450 300 150 0

60

40

80

60

60

40

20

0

7 

716C

4C 

2C 

710C 

8C

6C 

£

U

| 2C 

C 700C 

8C 

6C 

4C

2C 

fiqnr

/

/

I

\

Cap

/

/

\

acity 

/

\

~*T

/

\

\

/

</

\

/

\

\

/

\

N

x

\

\

^s

/

V

\

^

N

\

N

\

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 1 

Capacity, in thousands of acre f et

PLACITA RESERVOIR SITE

Dam site at mile 20.1

Area in acr^s 

00 600 500 400 300 200 100 0

 

Cap

/

/

~^

sc ty-

/

^

^

~y

'

\

/

/

^ v

\

s

/

^X

/

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^

y

X

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''

\

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\

^

\

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\

\

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"S 

^

-o

3

§

20

6C 

6900

80 

60 

40 

20

-S 6800

>2£

 -. 80

-Q

I «

40 

20 

6700 

80 

60

Area, n acres 

700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0

60-

20-

60-

\

N

Capac ty

/

/

1-

801 

60^ 

\

~^>x

^

X

^

^^

^^

^Area

"^v.

^

\

-" 1

V

\

\

0 20 30 40 50 60 A7 

Capacity, in thousands of acre-feet

CHAIR MOUNTAIN RESERVOIR SITE

Dam site at mile 24.3

Area, in acres 

0 500 400 300 200 100 0

/

f

1

\

Ca|

/

t

"\

act>

/

.

X

x

/

\

v

X

x^

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\

^

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^Area

^

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\

^

^

.**"

\

10 20 30 40 50 

Capacity, in thousands of acre-feet

70

HOT SPRINGS RESERVOIR SITE

Dam site at mile 12.5

Capacity, in thousands of acre-feet

MOUNT SOPRIS RESERVOIR SITE

Dam site at mile 9.6

Figure 6. Area and capacity curves for the Placita, Chair Mountain, Hot Springs, and Mount

Sopris reservoir sites
13

These undeveloped sites are not the only 

ones in the basin but do cover all the storage possibilities on the main stem and on 

the North and South Forks. The U. S. Bureau 

of Reclamation has investigated sites on 

Thompson Creek and its tributaries and on 

Prince Creek but had not released the results of these investigations at the time of 

this writing. Possibly other sites exist on 

Avalanche, Coal, Yule, and Carbonate Creeks.

Regulated Streamflow

Since many of these storage sites are alternative ones or can be developed to altitudes which would inundate sites upstream 

therefrom, and because of the limits of the 

available water supply, not all of them will 

be utilized. However, the information available at this time is not sufficient to eliminate any of the sites, and the land affected 

by all of them is therefore classified as 

valuable for the development of hydroelectric 

power.

The following illustrative scheme of development is presented to show the potential 

power made available by storage developed at 

the Marble and Redstone sites and with flows 

regulated to produce a maximum of firm power 

and no allowance made for evaporation.

A dam constructed at the Marble dam site 

(9DF 7) 192 feet high to altitude 8,100 feet 

would provide usable storage of 45,000 acrefeet and dead storage of 2,500 acre-feet. 

The altitude of the water surface of the 

reservoir would vary from 7,945 to 8,100 

feet with a mean altitude of 8,040 feet. In 

an average year, the flow available from the 

reservoir at power site 9DF 14 for 90 and 50 

percent of the time (Q90 and Q50) would be 

148 cfs.

The regulation at Marble would, of course, 

change the streamflow at downstream sites, 

and it is estimated that the,regulated flow 

at power sites 9DF 15 and 16 in an average 

year would be:

Power site 

index no.

9DF 15 

9DF 16

Q90 

(in cfs)

152 

155

Q50 

(in cfs)

157 

161

A dam constructed at the Redstone dam site 

(9DF 9) 215 feet high, to altitude 7,340 

feet, would give a usable storage capacity 

of 73,600 acre-feet and dead storage of 

2,900 acre-feet. The altitude of the pool 

would vary from 7,170 feet to 7,300 feet

with a mean alt-'tude of 7,280 feet. This 

reserve r would re-regulate the flow of the 

river, already regulated at Marble, and in 

an average year the estimated outflow from 

the proposed reservoir to power site 9DF 17 

would be 331 cfs for 100 percent of the time 

since this amount of storage capacity gives 

complete regulation.

The regulated flow at power site 9DF 18 is 

the same as at the Redstone dam site since 

there is no significant inflow in the 2.7- 

mile reach between the sites.

In an average year the regulated flow at 

site 9DF 19 is estimated to be 345 cfs 90 

percent of the time and 348 cfs 50 percent 

of the time. The East Mesa Ditch diverts 

31.8 cfs from the river near mile 9.3, which 

point is between the location of the diversion dam and the powerhouse of this site. 

This reduces the Q90 flow available for power 

to 313 cfs but does not affect the Q50.

WATERPOWER 

Developed Waterpower

Developed power sites 9DF 2 and 9DF 3 on 

the Crystal River and Yule Creek, respectively, have been described by Follansbee 

(1929). Both plants were owned by the Consolidated Colorado Yule Marble Company and 

were used to supply power to the town of 

Marble and the quarrying and finishing operations in that vicinity and to furnish 

power for the operation of the electric 

railroad which operated between the finishing mill in Marble and the quarries. Both 

plants were dismantled in 1942. Power site 

9DF 4, also described by Follansbee (1929) 

has been dismantled, too.

Undeveloped Waterpower

Between the confluence of the North and 

South Forks of the Crystal River and the 

mouth of the stream near Carbondale, the 

difference in elevation is 2,830 feet in a 

river distance of 33.1 miles. The river 

gradient varies from 40 feet to the mile in 

the first 4 miles above Carbondale to 470 

feet to the mile in the 0.8 mile immediately 

upstream from Marble, with an average fall 

throughout the 33.1 miles of 82 feet to the 

mile. Inasmuch as a large amount of water 

is diverted for irrigation below mile 5.1, 

it is not practical to develop the head below this point, which is 0.4 mile upstream 

from Thompson Creek. Because of rather low 

flows during the winter from about the first 

of December through March, without storage 

the potential firm power is small.
14

Unregulated Waterpower

In the estimates of power that f' llow, 

computations have been made using he formula P equals 0.068QH where:

P equals the power in kilowatts 

Q equals the available water in secondfeet,

H equals the gross head in feet from the 

top of the penstock to the tailrace of 

the powerhouse.

This formula assumes an over-all efficiency 

of 80 percent.

The following illustrative scheme of development of the unregulated flow of tne 

Crystal River is presented to show the potential power in an average year. Because 

of the severity of the winters and the lateness of springs, diversion should be by 

means of tunnel or covered conduit.

Eight sites have been chosen to develop 

2,498 feet of the available head, which is 

all but 32 feet of the difference in elevation between the confluence of the North 

and South Forks and mile 5.1 The loss of 

head in tunnels or conduits has been assumed 

to be 5 feet per mile. The following sites 

are discussed in detail in downstream order:

Power site 9DF 12. The point of diversion 

is at the confluence of the North and South 

Forks at mile 33.1, where a low dam would 

divert water into a tunnel or conduit that 

would follow the north, or right bank, to a 

point above a powerhouse at mile 29 5. The 

altitude at the intake is 8,880 feet and 

8,320 feet at the tailrace. A loss of head 

in the tunnel or conduit of 17 feet has been 

assumed, leaving a gross head of 543 feet 

from the top of the penstock to the tailrace. 

The streamflow and potential power at this 

site are:

Percent

of time

95

90

50

Mean

Flow

(in cfs)

13

14

35

119

Power

(in kw)

480

517

1,290

4,390

The drainage area above the point of diversion is 39.8 square miles.

Power site 9DF 13. The point of diversion 

is at the tailrace of site 9DF 12 at mile 

29 5. This site is identical with site 

9DF 2 of the Consolidated Colorado-Yule

Marble Company which has been described by 

Follansbee (1929, p. 170). This plant has 

been dismantled. A pipe or tunnel 0.8 mile 

long would deliver the water to a powerhouse 

at mile 28.7 at the town of Marble, where 

the tailrace altitude would be 7,940 feet. 

With an assumed loss of head in the tunnel 

or conduit of 4 feet, the gross head would 

be 376 feet. The streamflow and potential 

power at this site are:

Percent

of time

95

90

50

Mean

Flow

(in cfs)

15

16

41

140

Power

(in kw)

384

409

1,050

3,580

The drainage area above the point of diversion is 46.7 square miles.

Power site 9DF 14. The point of diversion 

for this site is at mile 27.7, a quarter of 

a mile below the mouth of Carbonate Creek, 

where the water-surface altitude is 7,908 

feet. A tunnel or conduit would carry the 

water 3.4 miles to a point above a powerhouse at mile 24.3, where the tailrace altitude would be 7,640 feet. Allowing 17 feet 

for loss of head in the tunnel or conduit, 

the gross head would be 251 feet. The 

streamflow and potential power at this site 

are:

Percent

of time

95

90

50

Mean

Flow

(in cfs)

25

27

68

230

Power

(in kw)

427

461

1,160

3,930

The drainage area above the point of diversion is 77 square miles.

Power site 9DF 15. The point of diversion 

is at mile 24.3 at the Chair Mountain dam 

site and at the tailrace of site 9DF 14, 

where the »ra er-surface altitude is 7,640 

feet. A tunnel or conduit .2 miles long 

would carry the wa er to a point above a 

powerhouse at m le 20.1 at the Placita dam 

sit^ where the tailr,ce altitude would be 

7,400 feet. Allowing 21 feet for loss of 

head in the tunnel or conduit, the gross 

head would be 219 feet. The streamflow and 

potential power a this site are:
15

Percent

of time

95

90

50

Mean

Flow

(in cfs)

29

31

72

250

Power

(in kw)

432

462

1,070

3,720

The drainage area above the point of diversion is 94 square miles.

Power site 9DF 16. The point of diversion 

for this site is at mile 20.1 at the tailrace of site 9DF 15 at the Placita dam site, 

where the water-stir face altitude is 7,400 

feet. A canal or tunnel 4.9 miles long 

along the right or east hillside would carry 

the water to a point above the powerhouse 1 

mile north of or downstream from Redstone at 

mile 15.2 at the Redstone dam site, where 

the water-surface altitude is 7,125 feet. 

Allowing 25 feet for loss of head in the 

tunnel or conduit, the gross head would be 

250 feet. The streamflow and potential 

power at this site are:

Percent

of time

95

90

50

Mean

Flow

(in cfs)

31

34

76

263

Power

(in kw)

527

578

1,290

4,470

The drainage area above the point of diversion is 106 square miles.

Power site 9DF 17. The point of diversion 

is at mile 15.2 at the tailrace of site 

9DF 16 at the Redstone dam site, where the 

water-surface altitude is 7,125 feet. A 

tunnel or canal 2.7 miles long would carry 

the water to a point above a powerhouse at 

mile 12.5 at the Hot Springs dam site, where 

the tailrace altitude would be 6,903 feet. 

Allowing 13 feet for loss of head in the 

tunnel or conduit, the gross head would be 

209 feet. The streamflow and potential 

power at this site are:

Percent

of time

95

90

50

Mean

Flow

(in cfs)

47

50

92

327

Power

(in kw)

668

710

1,310

4,650

Power site 9DF 18. The point of diversion 

at this site is at mile 12.5'at the tailrace 

of site 9DF 17 at the Hot Springs dam site, 

where the water-surface altitude is 6,903 

feet. A tunnel or conduit 2.9 miles long 

would carry the water to a point above a 

powerhouse at mile 9.6 at the Mount Sopris 

dam site, where the tailrace altitude would 

be 6,650 feet. Allowing 15 feet for loss 

of head in the tunnel or conduit, the gross 

head would be 238 feet. The streamflow and 

potential power at this site are:

Percent

of time

95

90

50

Mean

Flow

(in cfs)

48

51

93

332

Power

(in kw)

777

825

1,500

5,370

The drainage area above the point of diversion is 168 square miles.

Power site 9DF 19. The point of diversion 

is at mile 9.6 at the tailrace of site 9DF IB 

at the Mount Sopris dam site, where the water 

surface altitude is 6,650 feet. A tunnel or 

conduit 4.6 miles long would carry the water 

to a point above a powerhouse at mile 5.0, 

about 0.4 mile above the mouth of Thompson 

Creek, where the water-surface altitude is 

6,368 feet. Allowing 23 feet for loss of 

head in the tunnel or conduit, the gross 

head would be 259 feet. The streamflow and 

potential power at this site are:

Percent

of time

95

90

50

Mean

Flow

(in cfs)

60

65

108

388

Power

(in kw)

1,060

1,140

1,900

6,830

The drainage area above the point of diversion is 215 square miles.

Summary. The total power available without 

storage on the Crystal River is:

The drainage area above the point of diversion is 162 square miles.

P95 (available 95 percent

of the time) 

P90 (available 90 percent

of the time) 

P50 (available 50 percent

of the time) 

Pmean (utilizing the mean

flow)

4,755 kw

5,102 kw

10,570 kw

36,940 kw
16

Regulated Waterpower

A dam at the Marble site and one at the 

Redstone site, as described in the section 

on stream regulation, would materially -n 

crease the low water flow. In the following discuc sion, potential power is estimated 

for the same sites as in the foregoing r e'- 

tion with the changes in head and length of 

tunnel or conduit made necessary by the construction of the dams. In computing the 

head on th<* plants immediately below the two 

reservoirs, the mean altitude of the pool 

(the level of the pool when one-half the live 

storage has been withdrawn) is used.

Power site 9DF 12. This site is above 11 

regulation.

Power sit- 9DF 13. The streamflow at this 

site is not affected by regulation, but the 

powerhouse would be moved upstream to mile 

29.2, immediately above the mouth of Lost 

Trail Creek, where the tailrace altit' ' 

would be 8,100 feet, the maximum pool altitude of the proposed Marble reservoir. The 

tunnel or conduit required would be about 

0.3 mile long,-and the gross head 220 feet. 

The straamflow and potential power at this 

site are estimated to be:

Percent 

of time

90 

50

Flow 

(in cfs)

16 

41

Power 

(in kw)

239 

613

Power site 9DF 14. Storage of 45,000 acrefeet would be developed t this site (storage site 9DF 7) by a dam at mile 27.7 with 

a maximum pool altitude of o,100 feet and a 

mean pool altitude of 8,040 feet. The powerhouse would be at mile 24.3 with a tailrace 

altitude of 7,640 feet. Allowing for an 

estimated 17-foot loss of head in the conduit or tunnel, the mean gross head on the 

plant would be 383 feet. The regulated 

streamflow and potential power are estimated 

to be;

Percent 

of time

90 

50

Flow 

(in cfs)

148 

148

Power 

(in kw)

3,850 

3,850

for unregulated streamflow. The gross head 

on the plant would be 219 feet. The regulated streamflow and potential power are 

estimated to be:

Percent 

of time

90 

50

Flow 

(in cfs)

152 

157

Power 

(in kw)

2,260 

2,340

Power site 9DF 16. The location of the diversion dam for thi site would be the same 

as for the unregulated scheme of development. The powerhouse would have to be moved 

upstream to the hea ' of the Redstone reservoir site at mile 19.1, where the tailrace 

elevation would be 7,340 feet. A conduit 1 

mile long would be required, and the gross 

head on the plant, allowing for a 5-foot 

loss of head in the conduit would be 55 feet. 

The streamflow and potential power at this 

site are estimated to be:

Percent 

of time

90 

50

Flow 

(in cfs)

155 

161

Power 

(in kw)

580 

602

Power site 9DF 15. The locations of diversion dam, conduit, and powerhouse would be 

the same for this site as previously given

If the Redstone reservoir site was part of 

the development, power sites 9DF 15 and 16 

could very logically be combined with a negligible loss of power and at considerable 

saving in equipment.

Power site 9DF 17. Storage of 73,600 acrefeet would be developed at this site (storage site 9DF 9) by a dam 215 feet high at 

the Redstone dam site at mile 15.2. The 

maximum pool altitude would be 7,340 feet, 

and the mean pool altitude 7,280 feet. The 

powerhouse would be located at mile 12.5 

with a tailrace altitude of 6,903 feet. 

Allowing 13 feet for loss of head in the 

tunnel or conduit, the mean gross head on 

the plant would be 364 feet. This storage 

is enough to give 100 percent regulation in 

an average year and a uniform flow of 331 ' 

second-feet. The potential power under 

these conditions would be 8,190 kw for 100 

percent of the time.

Power site 9DF 18. The location of the diversion dam, conduit, and powerhouse would 

be the same as given previously under unregulated power. The gross head would be 238 

feet, and the streamflow and potential power 

are estimated to be f
17

Percent 

of time

90 

50

Flow 

(in cfs)

331 

331

Power 

(in kw)

5,360 

5,360

Power site 9DF 19. The location of the diversion dam, conduit, and powerhouse would 

be the same as given previously under unregulated power. The gross head would be 259 

feet, and the streamflow and potential power 

are estimated to be:

Percent 

of time

90 

50

Flow 

(in cfs)

313 

348

Power 

(in kw)

5,510 

6,130

Allowance has been made for 31.8 cfs to be 

bypassed through East Mesa Ditch during the 

irrigation season.

Summary of potential power utilizing 

storage:

P90 (available 90 percent

of the time) 

P50 (available 50 percent

of the time)

26,510 kw 

28,370 kw

LITERATURE CITED

Emmons, S. F., Cross, Whitman, and Eldridge, 

G. H., 1894, U. S. Geol. Survey Geol. 

Atlas, Anthracite-Crested Butte, Colo., 

Folio 9.

Follansbee, Robert, 1929, Upper Colorado 

River and its utilization: U. S. Geol. 

Survey Water-Supply Paper 617.

Foote, Alvin, 1950, The fabulous valley: 

The A. & T. Co., Inc.

Holmes, W. H., 1876, Report on the geology 

of the northwestern portion of the Elk 

Range: U. S. Geol. and Geog. Survey Terr. 

8th Ann. Rept.

Vanderwilt, J. W., 1932, Preliminary geologic 

notes on Galena Mountain, a part of Snowmass Mountain area, Colo.: Colorado Sci. 

Soc. Proc., v. 13, no. 1

Vanderwilt, J. W., 1938, Geology and mineral 

deposits of the Snowmass Mountain area, 

Gunnison County, Colo.: U. S. Geol. Survey 

Bull. 884.

Vanderwilt, J. W., and Fuller, H. C., 1935, 

Correlation of Colorado Yule marble and 

other early Paleozoic formations on Yule 

Creek, Gunnison County, Colo.: Colorado 

Sci. Soc. Proc., v. 13, no. 7.

Use of Power

The town of Carbondale is served by The 

Carbondale Light & Power Company, a small 

local utility, which purchases the power 

from the Public Service Company of Colorado 

at a point near Glenwood Springs. The demand is mainly for residential and commercial use with little or no industrial use. 

The valley from Carbondale to Redstone is 

served by a line owned by the Holy Cross 

Electric Association, Inc., a Rural Electrification Administration affiliate. The power 

is obtained from the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation plant at Green Mountain Dam on the 

Blue River through a wheeling agreement with 

the Public Service Company of Colorado. The 

demand is for general farm use and, in Redstone, residential use, primarily in the 

summer. The valley above Redstone has no 

electric service.

INT.-DUP. SEC., WASH., D.C. 51805