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Michelle S. Brink and John C. Shmidt Department of Geomorphology and Earth Resources Utah State University Draft final Report The Duchesne River Channel: a geomorphic history, 1875 to 1995 March 1996

Abstract 

The channel of the Duchesne river has changed dramatically sine the late nineteenth century.  Data from which conclusions is based include newspaper articles, platt maps, survey notes taken between 1875 and 1903, aerial photographs taken in 1936 discharge measurements taken by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1910, and field measurements of the present channel.  In the most downstream reach near Ouray that has been designated critical habitat for the razorback sucker (xyrauchen texanus), the present channel is narrow and much less sinuous that it was in 1875.  Near Randlet, the modern channel has fewer overbank flood channels, but the main channel has widened since 1965.  Upstream from the Uinta River, the channel has narrowed and also has fewer overbank flood channels.  Channel narrowing at Myton occurred prior to 1940 and coincides with the period of significant decrease in the magnitude of floods and mean annual flow.