Little Colorado River Basin, Arizona-New Mexico, Cooperative Study: Summary Report

Excerpts from the report: The Little Colorado River Basin includes those areas of Arizona and New Mexico drained by the Little Colorado River and its tributaries. About 80 percent of the study area is in Arizona and includes parts of Coconino, Navajo and Apache Counties. About 20 percent is in New Mexico and Includes parts of San Juan, McKinley, Valencia and Catron Counties. The area is noted for highly erodible soils, long nearly barren slopes, sediment-laden washes and windblown sand. The study area is bound on the east by the Rio Grande Basin, on the south by the Gila River Basin and on the north by the San Juan Basin. The Little Colorado River joins the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon on the northwest edge of the Basin. The Basin is about 245 miles long and 158 miles wide at the widest point. The Summary Report with its accompanying appendices present and analyze resource data that would offer solutions to problems and assist decision makers in the orderly development of water and related land resources of the Basin. The Summary Report contains a limited description of the basic resources, problems, and analyses made during the study. These items include: irrigation, recreation, erosion and sediment, and flooding. Other study items were inventoried and resource data presented with reference to capabilities and limitations. The results of the study can be used by county and city governments, natural resource conservation districts, planning commissions, councils of government, and other local groups in planning land use and setting priorities for allocation of resources.