RCMAP - North Fork Gunnison River at Hotchkiss, Colorado
The U.S. Geological Survey was engaged in a program to monitor and assess the long-term geomorphic behavior of selected river and stream reaches that previously had undergone some physical modification. These modifications included natural channel adjustments to floods as well as intentional channel reconfigurations to alter the function or appearance of a river reach.
The reconfiguration objectives of the North Fork Gunnison River project reach were to confine a braided channel into a single-thread channel with lower sinuosity to facilitate bedmaterial transport and stabilize streambanks to protect an irrigation canal and headgate. Other objectives were to stabilize the streambed near the Highway 92 bridge, create stable floodplain areas, create off-channel, backwater aquatic habitat, and provide whitewater recreation.
Location:
The North Fork Gunnison River drains headwaters in the Elk and West Elk Mountains of west-central Colorado. The North Fork Gunnison hydrograph is dominated by snowmelt, and the river has a channel composed of coarse bed material. The river channel near Hotchkiss was unstable and prone to flooding owing to a history of in-channel gravel mining, riparian vegetation eradication, artificial sinuosity reduction, and large bedload discharges. The 1880-m-long monitored reach begins ~100 m upstream (east) from the State Highway 92 bridge (cross section 3) in Hotchkiss, Delta County, Colorado, and extends ~250 m downstream from the County Road 3400 bridge (cross section 14).
Streamflow Data:
Current streamflow: USGS 09134100 North Fork Gunnison River below Paonia
Photographic History:
Upper Monitored Reach
Map of photographic monuments at North Fork Gunnison River at Hotchkiss, CO at upper monitored reach (upstream to downstream.)
- Above Cross Section 1, RHB
- Cross Section 1, LHB
- Cross Section 3 / Bridge, LHB
- Cross Section 4, RHB
- Above Cross Section 5, RHB
- Cross Section 6, LHB
- Above Cross Section 7, LHB
- Cross Section 7, LHB
- Cross Section 8, LHB
- Rise above Cross Section 8
Lower Monitored Reach
Map of photographic monuments at North Fork Gunnison River at Hotchkiss, CO at lower monitored reach (upstream to downstream.)
- Cross Section 9, RHB (PM-10)
- Above Cross Section 11, LHB (PM-15)
- Cross Section 11, LHB (PM-16)
- Cross Section 12, LHB (PM-17)
- Cross Section 13, RHB (PM-28)
- Cross Section 14, LHB (PM-18)
- Cross Section 14, on bridge (PM-19)
- Cross Section 14, RHB, (PM-20)
- Above Cross Section 16 (PM-22)
Sediment Surveys
See Sediment Distribution Charts for North Fork Gunnison River at Hotchkiss
Channel Surveys
See Cross Section Data for sites on the North Fork Gunnison River at Hotchkiss
Below are other science projects associated with the North Fork Gunnison River at Hotchkiss RCMAP project.
Reconfigured Channel Monitoring and Assessment Program (RCMAP)
RCMAP - Muddy Creek below Wolford Mountain Reservoir near Kremmling, Colorado
RCMAP - Lake Fork of the Gunnison near Lake City, Colorado
RCMAP - Gunnison River at the Hartland Dam near Delta, Colorado
RCMAP - Gunnison River at Spann Diversion at Gunnison, Colorado
RCMAP - Uncompahgre River at Ridgway, Colorado
RCMAP - Roaring Fork River at Basalt, Colorado
RCMAP - Lake Fork at Gateview, Colorado
The U.S. Geological Survey was engaged in a program to monitor and assess the long-term geomorphic behavior of selected river and stream reaches that previously had undergone some physical modification. These modifications included natural channel adjustments to floods as well as intentional channel reconfigurations to alter the function or appearance of a river reach.
The reconfiguration objectives of the North Fork Gunnison River project reach were to confine a braided channel into a single-thread channel with lower sinuosity to facilitate bedmaterial transport and stabilize streambanks to protect an irrigation canal and headgate. Other objectives were to stabilize the streambed near the Highway 92 bridge, create stable floodplain areas, create off-channel, backwater aquatic habitat, and provide whitewater recreation.
Location:
The North Fork Gunnison River drains headwaters in the Elk and West Elk Mountains of west-central Colorado. The North Fork Gunnison hydrograph is dominated by snowmelt, and the river has a channel composed of coarse bed material. The river channel near Hotchkiss was unstable and prone to flooding owing to a history of in-channel gravel mining, riparian vegetation eradication, artificial sinuosity reduction, and large bedload discharges. The 1880-m-long monitored reach begins ~100 m upstream (east) from the State Highway 92 bridge (cross section 3) in Hotchkiss, Delta County, Colorado, and extends ~250 m downstream from the County Road 3400 bridge (cross section 14).
Streamflow Data:
Current streamflow: USGS 09134100 North Fork Gunnison River below Paonia
Photographic History:
Upper Monitored Reach
Map of photographic monuments at North Fork Gunnison River at Hotchkiss, CO at upper monitored reach (upstream to downstream.)
- Above Cross Section 1, RHB
- Cross Section 1, LHB
- Cross Section 3 / Bridge, LHB
- Cross Section 4, RHB
- Above Cross Section 5, RHB
- Cross Section 6, LHB
- Above Cross Section 7, LHB
- Cross Section 7, LHB
- Cross Section 8, LHB
- Rise above Cross Section 8
Lower Monitored Reach
Map of photographic monuments at North Fork Gunnison River at Hotchkiss, CO at lower monitored reach (upstream to downstream.)
- Cross Section 9, RHB (PM-10)
- Above Cross Section 11, LHB (PM-15)
- Cross Section 11, LHB (PM-16)
- Cross Section 12, LHB (PM-17)
- Cross Section 13, RHB (PM-28)
- Cross Section 14, LHB (PM-18)
- Cross Section 14, on bridge (PM-19)
- Cross Section 14, RHB, (PM-20)
- Above Cross Section 16 (PM-22)
Sediment Surveys
See Sediment Distribution Charts for North Fork Gunnison River at Hotchkiss
Channel Surveys
See Cross Section Data for sites on the North Fork Gunnison River at Hotchkiss
Below are other science projects associated with the North Fork Gunnison River at Hotchkiss RCMAP project.