GANNETT.] ARABLE LAND ON GUNNISON RIVER DRAINAGE. 335 



Elk Mountains, and the northern slopes of the San Juan Group. Though 

 the drainage-area is not large, its mean elevation is very high, and it 

 includes the loftiest and heaviest ranges in the State ; and, in propor- 

 tion to the size of its drain age- area, this river is one of the largest. It 

 starts as a consequent stream, pursuing a course parallel to the wall of 

 the Sawatch Eange, which forms the eastern boundary of its valley. 

 In this valley there is considerable irrigable land, but the great eleva- 

 tion (over 9,000 feet) and the stony nature of the soil (it is derived from 

 morainal deposits) lessen its agricultural value materially. At the foot 

 of this valley the river, re-enforced by several large mountain streams, 

 turns at right angles and boldly pushes westward. At the outset it 

 meets with difficulties, and is forced to cut a caiion through a heavy 

 broad ridge which connects the Elk Mountains with a heavy westward 

 spur from the Sawatch Eange. That passed, it enters a broad valley, 

 down which it meanders peacefully, receiving several large branches — 

 Slate Eiver and Ohio Creek from the north, and Tomichi Creek from 

 the east. The first two head in the Elk Mountains, and have compara- 

 tively short courses. Their valleys, which in the mountains are narrow, 

 widen as they approach the Gunnison, and help to swell the arable area 

 of this valley. 



The Tomichi heads about Mount Ouray, in the Sawatch Eange, and 

 flows nearly west throughout its course. Through most of its long 

 courseits valley is narrow, inclosed by high hills — spurs from the Sawatch 

 Eange. A narrow ribbon of arable land runs down this valley, almost 

 continuously, from its head to its mouth. 



A narrow belt of arable land extends down the Gunnison half a dozen 

 miles below the mouth of the Tomichi, then the river enters a low caiion, 

 in which it flows for about 15 miles. Then there is a short valley, ex- 

 tending up two creeks which flow in from the north, giving 8 or 10 

 square miles of good laud. The White Earth, which comes in just 

 above this valley, has a beautiful little valley about 20 miles above its 

 mouth. And on Lake Fork, which comes in at the foot of this valley 

 on the Gunnison, there is a narrow strip of arable land, commencing 15 

 miles above its mouth and running up about 10 miles. 



Below the mouth of Lake Fork the river enters the Grand Canon, 50 

 miles long, and, at its deepest, 3,000 feet in depth. Of the streams 

 which join it in the caiion; none have arable areas of any considerable 

 extent. Blue and Cebolla Creeks have small patches, and the North 

 Fork, which enters near the foot of the caSon, furnishes a cultivable 

 area of 10 or 12 square miles. 



Below the caiion the river enters the Uncompahgre Valley, already 

 described. The total amount of arable land on the Gunnison and its 

 branches is 500 square miles. 



The Dolores and San Miguel Elvers rise in the western part of the 

 San Juan Mountains. They quickly reach the level of the plateaus and 

 immediately bury themselves beneath that level, and flow, through nearly 

 their whole courses, in caiion. The San Miguel Eiver scarcely comes to 

 the surface of the country at all during its course. In one place just 

 above the mouth of Naturita Creek its walls diminish in height to little 

 more than bluffs, and its valley widens out to about a mile, giving room 

 for a few farms. On the Dolores there is a narrow strip about its south- 

 ern bend, in the neighborhood of the mouth of Lost Caiion, another and 

 larger area at the foot of Gypsum Valley, and a third in Paradox 

 Valley. Below the junction with the San Miguel, at the mouth of the 

 Unaweep Caiion, there is another irrigable patch. Altogether, the 

 Dolores, including the San Miguel, has 145 square miles of arable land. 



