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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.

List of major drainage basins

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

Notes

1. ^ The Colorado River did not officially flow through the State of Colorado until July 25, 1921. Prior to that date, the origin of the Colorado River was officially the confluence of the Grand and Green rivers at 38°11′21″N 109°53′09″W / 38.1892°N 109.8857°W / 38.1892; -109.8857 (Confluence of the Green and Colorado rivers) in what is now Canyonlands National Park of Utah. In 1921, U.S. Representative Edward T. Taylor of Colorado petitioned the Congressional Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce to rename the Grand River as the Colorado River. On July 25, 1921, President Warren G. Harding signed House Joint Resolution 32 - To change the name of the Grand River in Colorado and Utah to the Colorado River, over the objections of representatives from Wyoming, Utah, and the United States Geological Survey, who noted that the Green River was longer and had a larger drainage basin, although the Grand River often contributed a greater flow of water.
2. ^ The summit of Uncompahgre Peak at 14,321 feet (4365.0 m) is the highest point in the drainage basins of the Cimarron River, the Gunnison River, the former Grand River, the Colorado River, and the Gulf of California.
3. The summit of Mount Elbert at 14,440 feet (4401.2 m) is the highest point in the drainage basins of the Arkansas River and the Mississippi River.
4. The summit of Blanca Peak at 14,351 feet (4374 m) is the highest point in the drainage basin of the Rio Grande (Rio Bravo del Norte).
5. The headwaters of the Green River are located in the Wind River Mountains of the State of Wyoming.
6. ^ The summit of Clark Peak at 12,960 feet (3950 m) is the highest point in the drainage basins of the Laramie River and the North Platte River.
7. The summit of Mount Lincoln at 14,293 feet (4356.5 m) is the highest point in the drainage basins of the South Platte River, the Platte River, and the Missouri River.
8. The headwaters of the Cimarron River are located in Union County, New Mexico, a short distance south of the Colorado border.
9. The Gunnison River Basin is the most extensive river basin exclusively within the State of Colorado.
10. The summit of Culebra Peak at 14,053 feet (4283 m) is the highest point in the drainage basin of the Purgatoire River.
11. The San Luis Closed Basin is the most extensive endorheic basin in the State of Colorado.
12. The summit of Crestone Peak at 14,300 feet (4359 m) is the highest point in the San Luis Closed Basin.
13. ^ The summit of Hagues Peak at 13,573 feet (4137 m) is the highest point in the drainage basins of the Cache la Poudre River and the Big Thompson River.
14. ^ The summit of West Spanish Peak at 13,631 feet (4155 m) is the highest point in the drainage basins of the Huerfano River and Apishapa River.
15. The point at which the Arikaree River flows out of the Colorado and into Kansas is the lowest point in the State of Colorado at 3317 feet (1011 m).
16. ^ The summit of Castle Peak at 14,279 feet (4352.2 m) is the highest point in the drainage basins of the Roaring Fork River and the Taylor River.
17. The summit of Longs Peak at 14,259 feet (4346 m) is the highest point in the drainage basin of Saint Vrain Creek.
18. The summit of Pikes Peak at 14,115 feet (4302.31 m) is the highest point in the drainage basin of Fountain Creek.
19. ^ The summit of Grays Peak at 14,278 feet (4352 m) is the highest point on the Continental Divide in North America and the drainage basins of the Blue River and Clear Creek.

References

1. "Renaming the Grand River, Colo." (PDF), Hearing Before the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce of the House of Representatives, Sixty Sixth Congress, Third Session, on HJ 460, Government Printing Office, February 18, 1921, retrieved May 16, 2023
2. "House Joint Resolution 32 - To change the name of the Grand River in Colorado and Utah to the Colorado River" (PDF). Congressional Record. Sixty-seventh United States Congress. July 25, 1921. p. 4274. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
3. ^ Gustafson, Daniel L. (2003-01-24). "Hydrologic Unit Project". Montana State University, Environmental Statistics Group. Archived from the original on 2012-02-10. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
4. Murphy, Sheila F. (2006). State of the watershed: Water quality of Boulder Creek, Colorado (PDF). U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1284. U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey. ISBN 1-4113-0954-5. Retrieved 2008-02-05.

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

v t e  Rivers of Colorado
North Platte River Canadian River Encampment River Illinois River Laramie River Michigan River
South Platte River Big Thompson River Cache la Poudre River Fall River (Clear Creek County) Fall River (Larimer County) Hidden River Little Thompson River Roaring River Wind River
Kansas River Arikaree River Republican River Smoky Hill River
Arkansas River Apishapa River Canadian River Cimarron River Cucharas River Huerfano River Purgatoire River Saint Charles River South Arkansas River Vermejo River
Rio Grande Alamosa River Conejos River Rio Chama Rio Chamita Rio de los Pinos Rio San Antonio
San Juan River Animas River Florida River La Plata River Little Navajo River Los Pinos River Mancos River Navajo River Piedra River Rio Blanco
Colorado River Blue River Cimarron River Crystal River Dolores River Eagle River East River Fraser River Fryingpan River Gunnison River Little Dolores River Piney River Rio Lado Roaring Fork River San Miguel River Slate River Snake River Swan River Taylor River Uncompahgre River
Green River Bear River Elk River Little Snake River White River Yampa River

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38°59′50″N 105°32′52″W / 38.9972°N 105.5478°W / 38.9972; -105.5478 (State of Colorado)

• Colorado geography-related lists
• Geography of Colorado
• Lists of landforms of Colorado
• Rivers of Colorado
• Lists of drainage basins
• Watersheds of the United States