The Uncompahgre River

The Uncompahgre River is a tributary of the Gunnison River , approximately 75 mi (121 km) long, in southwestern Colorado in the . Lake Como at 12,215 ft (3723m) in northern San Juan County , in the Uncompahgre National Forest in the northwestern San Juan Mountains is the headwaters of the river. It flows northwest past Ouray , Ridgway , Montrose , and Colorado and joins the Gunnison at Confluence Park in Delta .

The river forms Poughkeepsie Gulch and the Uncompahgre Gorge . The major tributaries are all creeks draining the northwest San Juan Mountains.

There are two dams on the Uncompahgre River, a small diversion dam in the Uncompahgre Gorge, and Ridgway Dam below the town of Ridgway with forms Ridgway Reservoir .

The river is used for irrigation in the Uncompahgre Valley . Additionally, water from the Gunnison is diverted to the valley via the Gunnison Tunnel .                                          Source:            wikipedia.org        

Upper Uncompahgre River

Description - The Uncompahgre leads through southwestern Colorado. It is rarely used due to the mining pollution that causes the water to be off colored. The heavy metal pollution has killed most of the aquatic life, but does not affect whitewater sports if you are willing to overlook the color of the water.

Location - The Uncompahgre River collects its headwaters in the mountains that surround Ouray. Canyon Creek, Oak Creek, Portland Creek, Bear Creek and Falls Cascade Creek, join the waters of the Uncompahgre in Ouray to form the Uncompahgre River Valley. Mining activity in this mountainous region was so heavy that the waters of the Uncompahgre have been contaminated by heavy metals from the tailings.                                                                                                          Source:        areas.wildernet.com