Gunnison Basin Wetlands Focus Group Strategic Plan

Summary

The Gunnsion Basin Focus area encompasses the upper Gunnsion watershed. The Basin lies entirely on the west side of the Continental Divide. Geographically the area includes most of Gunnsion County, the northern third of Hinsdale County, and the north western third of Saguache County. The total land area amounts to over 2 million acres, of which nearly half a million acres are in private ownership. The remaining land is administered by National Park Service, National Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, and includes Gunnison National Forest, Curricanti National Recreation Area, Gunnison Resource Management Area and the West Elk, Fossil Ridge, Powderhorn, Snowmass, Collegiate Peaks, Raggeds and the La Garita Wilderness Areas. The Basin's watershed includes Cement, Ohio, Cochatopa and Tomichi Creeks; the East, Taylor and Gunnison Rivers, and Taylor and Blue Mesa Reservoirs. The Gunnsion basin is a series of high mountain valleys, which are characterized by harsh winters and short growing seasons. The geology of the Basin has been influenced by vulcanism, glaciation and erosion. As a result, a diverse array of habitats, ranging from alpine tundras to arid big sage brush dominated basins occur throughout the focus area. The natural wetlands associated with these habitats are equally diverse, and include alpine peatlands, riparian wetlands, ephemeral wet meadows and