List of drainage basins in Colorado explained

This is a list of drainage basins in the U.S. State of Colorado.

Colorado encompasses the headwaters of several important rivers. The state is divided into two major hydrographic regions by the Continental Divide of the Americas. East of the Continental Divide, surface waters flow to the Gulf of Mexico, either via the Rio Grande or via one of several rivers (the South Platte River, the North Platte River, the Republican River, the Arkansas River, the Cimarron River, or the Canadian River) which eventually feed the Mississippi River along the way. West of the Continental Divide, surface waters flow via the Green River, the upper Colorado River (formerly the Grand River), or the San Juan River into the Colorado River and on to the Gulf of California.

Colorado also has three significant endorheic basins: the San Luis Closed Basin in the San Luis Valley, and the Bear Creek Basin and the White Woman Basin spanning the Colorado-Kansas border north and south of the Arkansas River.__TOC__

List of major drainage basins

See also: List of rivers in Colorado.

Major Drainage Basins of the State of Colorado

!Basin!Outlet!Total Area^[1] !In-State Area!% In-State

Colorado River	Gulf of California	001703,132 km^2 271,481 mi^2	001100,195 km^2 38,686 mi^2	A06414.2%
Arkansas River	Mississippi River	002478,501 km^2 184,750 mi^2	00270,022 km^2 27,036 mi^2	A06314.6%
Rio Grande (Rio Bravo del Norte)	Gulf of Mexico	003457,275 km^2 176,555 mi^2	00912,070 km^2 4,660 mi^2	A0722.6%
Canadian River	Arkansas River	004122,701 km^2 47,375 mi^2	073154 km^2 59 mi^2	A0730.1%
Green River	Colorado River	005115,903 km^2 44,750 mi^2	00527,340 km^2 10,556 mi^2	A05923.6%
North Platte River	Platte River	00680,755 km^2 31,180 mi^2	0185,129 km^2 1,980 mi^2	A0686.4%
upper Colorado River (Grand River)	Colorado River	00767,993 km^2 26,252 mi^2	00357,680 km^2 22,270 mi^2	A03884.8%
San Juan River	Colorado River	00864,560 km^2 24,927 mi^2	00815,175 km^2 5,859 mi^2	A06023.5%
South Platte River	Platte River	00962,738 km^2 24,223 mi^2	00448,948 km^2 18,899 mi^2	A04078.0%
Smoky Hill River	Kansas River	01051,783 km^2 19,994 mi^2	0402,493 km^2 963 mi^2	A0704.8%
Cimarron River	Arkansas River	01144,890 km^2 17,332 mi^2	0165,481 km^2 2,116 mi^2	A06612.2%
Yampa River	Green River	01221,506 km^2 8,304 mi^2	00715,289 km^2 5,903 mi^2	A04371.1%
Gunnison River	upper Colorado River (Grand River)	01320,851 km^2 8,051 mi^2	00620,851 km^2 8,051 mi^2	A001100%
North Fork Republican River	Republican River	01413,172 km^2 5,086 mi^2	01011,522 km^2 4,449 mi^2	A03787.5%
White River	Green River	01512,989 km^2 5,015 mi^2	0129,796 km^2 3,782 mi^2	A04275.4%
Dolores River	upper Colorado River (Grand River)	01611,998 km^2 4,633 mi^2	01110,619 km^2 4,100 mi^2	A03688.5%
Laramie River	North Platte River	01711,961 km^2 4,618 mi^2	061989 km^2 382 mi^2	A0678.3%
Little Snake River	Yampa River	01810,629 km^2 4,104 mi^2	0224,412 km^2 1,704 mi^2	A05241.5%
Purgatoire River	Arkansas River	0198,923 km^2 3,445 mi^2	0138,601 km^2 3,321 mi^2	A03196.4%
Lodgepole Creek	South Platte River	0208,374 km^2 3,233 mi^2	069496 km^2 191 mi^2	A0695.9%
Rio Chama	Rio Grande	0218,204 km^2 3,168 mi^2	071238 km^2 92 mi^2	A0712.9%
San Luis Closed Basin	endorheic basin	0227,638 km^2 2,949 mi^2	0147,638 km^2 2,949 mi^2	A002100%
Frenchman Creek	Republican River	0237,398 km^2 2,856 mi^2	0362,539 km^2 980 mi^2	A05334.3%
South Fork Republican River	Republican River	0247,195 km^2 2,778 mi^2	0175,454 km^2 2,106 mi^2	A04175.8%
San Luis Creek	San Luis Closed Basin	0257,000 km^2 2,703 mi^2	0157,000 km^2 2,703 mi^2	A003100%
Cache la Poudre River	South Platte River	0264,959 km^2 1,915 mi^2	0214,587 km^2 1,771 mi^2	A03492.5%
Bear Creek Basin	endorheic basin	0274,896 km^2 1,890 mi^2	0372,521 km^2 973 mi^2	A04851.5%
Huerfano River	Arkansas River	0284,840 km^2 1,869 mi^2	0194,840 km^2 1,869 mi^2	A004100%
Big Sandy Creek	Arkansas River	0294,825 km^2 1,863 mi^2	0204,825 km^2 1,863 mi^2	A005100%
Bear Creek	Bear Creek Basin	0304,500 km^2 1,737 mi^2	0392,500 km^2 965 mi^2	A04755.6%
North Fork Cimarron River	Cimarron River	0314,462 km^2 1,723 mi^2	0432,225 km^2 859 mi^2	A04949.9%
Arikaree River	North Fork Republican River	0324,429 km^2 1,710 mi^2	0234,265 km^2 1,647 mi^2	A03296.3%
San Miguel River	Dolores River	0334,060 km^2 1,567 mi^2	0244,060 km^2 1,567 mi^2	A006100%
Stinking Water Creek	Frenchman Creek	0343,862 km^2 1,491 mi^2	063966 km^2 373 mi^2	A05825.0%
Roaring Fork River	upper Colorado River (Grand River)	0353,766 km^2 1,454 mi^2	0253,766 km^2 1,454 mi^2	A007100%
Crow Creek	South Platte River	0363,717 km^2 1,435 mi^2	0442,201 km^2 850 mi^2	A04659.2%
Horse Creek	Arkansas River	0373,680 km^2 1,421 mi^2	0263,680 km^2 1,421 mi^2	A008100%
Ladder Creek	Smoky Hill River	0383,645 km^2 1,407 mi^2	067663 km^2 256 mi^2	A06218.2%
Bijou Creek	South Platte River	0393,612 km^2 1,395 mi^2	0273,612 km^2 1,395 mi^2	A009100%
White Woman Basin	endorheic basin	0403,577 km^2 1,381 mi^2	065908 km^2 351 mi^2	A05725.4%
Rush Creek	Arkansas River	0413,570 km^2 1,378 mi^2	0283,570 km^2 1,378 mi^2	A010100%
Animas River	San Juan River	0423,562 km^2 1,375 mi^2	0302,971 km^2 1,147 mi^2	A03983.4%
Saguache Creek	San Luis Creek	0433,482 km^2 1,345 mi^2	0293,482 km^2 1,345 mi^2	A011100%
Montezuma Creek	San Juan River	0443,044 km^2 1,175 mi^2	062983 km^2 380 mi^2	A05432.3%
White Woman Creek	White Woman Basin	0453,000 km^2 1,158 mi^2	066800 km^2 309 mi^2	A05626.7%
Beaver Creek	South Platte River	0462,939 km^2 1,135 mi^2	0312,939 km^2 1,135 mi^2	A012100%
Uncompahgre River	Gunnison River	0472,921 km^2 1,128 mi^2	0322,921 km^2 1,128 mi^2	A013100%
Tomichi Creek	Gunnison River	0482,874 km^2 1,109 mi^2	0332,874 km^2 1,109 mi^2	A014100%
Apishapa River	Arkansas River	0492,798 km^2 1,080 mi^2	0342,798 km^2 1,080 mi^2	A015100%
Saint Vrain Creek	South Platte River	0502,572 km^2 993 mi^2	0352,572 km^2 993 mi^2	A016100%
Eagle River	upper Colorado River (Grand River)	0512,515 km^2 971 mi^2	0382,515 km^2 971 mi^2	A017100%
Vermillion Creek	Green River	0522,500 km^2 965 mi^2	0591,155 km^2 446 mi^2	A05146.2%
North Fork Gunnison River	Gunnison River	0532,492 km^2 962 mi^2	0412,492 km^2 962 mi^2	A018100%
Fountain Creek	Arkansas River	0542,418 km^2 933 mi^2	0422,418 km^2 933 mi^2	A019100%
Big Thompson River	South Platte River	0552,149 km^2 830 mi^2	0452,149 km^2 830 mi^2	A020100%
Two Butte Creek	Arkansas River	0562,107 km^2 814 mi^2	0462,107 km^2 814 mi^2	A021100%
Mancos River	San Juan River	0572,099 km^2 810 mi^2	0471,973 km^2 762 mi^2	A03394.0%
Conejos River	Rio Grande	0582,078 km^2 802 mi^2	0561,471 km^2 568 mi^2	A04470.8%
North Fork Smoky Hill River	Smoky Hill River	0591,965 km^2 759 mi^2	064947 km^2 366 mi^2	A05048.2%
Sidney Draw	South Platte River	0601,949 km^2 753 mi^2	070368 km^2 142 mi^2	A06118.9%
South Fork Beaver Creek	Beaver Creek	0611,939 km^2 749 mi^2	068522 km^2 201 mi^2	A05526.9%
Sand Arroyo Creek	North Fork Cimarron River	0621,938 km^2 748 mi^2	0571,314 km^2 507 mi^2	A04567.8%
Chico Creek	Arkansas River	0631,934 km^2 747 mi^2	0481,934 km^2 747 mi^2	A022100%
Kiowa Creek	South Platte River	0641,888 km^2 729 mi^2	0491,888 km^2 729 mi^2	A023100%
Pawnee Creek	South Platte River	0651,875 km^2 724 mi^2	0501,875 km^2 724 mi^2	A024100%
McElmo Creek	San Juan River	0661,842 km^2 711 mi^2	0531,654 km^2 639 mi^2	A03589.8%
Blue River	upper Colorado River (Grand River)	0671,770 km^2 683 mi^2	0511,770 km^2 683 mi^2	A025100%
Piedra River	San Juan River	0681,770 km^2 683 mi^2	0521,770 km^2 683 mi^2	A026100%
Piceance Creek	White River	0691,630 km^2 629 mi^2	0541,630 km^2 629 mi^2	A027100%
Little Beaver Creek	Beaver Creek	0701,602 km^2 619 mi^2	072210 km^2 81 mi^2	A06513.1%
Clear Creek	South Platte River	0711,497 km^2 578 mi^2	0551,497 km^2 578 mi^2	A028100%
Taylor River	Gunnison River	0721,258 km^2 486 mi^2	0581,258 km^2 486 mi^2	A029100%
Boulder Creek^[2]	Saint Vrain Creek	0731,160 km^2 448 mi^2	0601,160 km^2 448 mi^2	A030100%
Cherry Creek	South Platte River	0731,050 km^2 405 mi^2	0601,050 km^2 405 mi^2	A030100%

See also

• Surface-water hydrology
• Bibliography of Colorado
• Geography of Colorado
• History of Colorado
• Index of Colorado-related articles
• List of Colorado-related lists
• Outline of Colorado

External links

• State of Colorado website
  • Colorado Division of Natural Resources
    • Colorado Water Conservation Board
    • Colorado Division of Water Resources
    • Colorado Geological Survey
      • Major Rivers of Colorado
    • Colorado's Decision Support Systems
• Colorado Watersheds
• Colorado Hydrologic Units

38.9972°N -105.5478°W

Notes and References

1. Web site: Hydrologic Unit Project. Montana State University, Environmental Statistics Group. Gustafson. Daniel L.. 2003-01-24. 2008-02-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20120210042832/http://www.esg.montana.edu/gl/huc/. 2012-02-10. dead.
2. Book: Murphy, Sheila F.. State of the watershed: Water quality of Boulder Creek, Colorado. U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1284. U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey. 2006. 1-4113-0954-5. 2008-02-05.