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154 THE CONDOR VoL. X TOPOGRAPHY OF MESA COUNTY Mesa County is situated on the extreme western edge of Colorado, adjoining Utah, and about midway between the northern and southern boundaries of the State. It has an area of about 3300 square miles, or as large as Delaware and Rhode Island combined. The altitude of the County varies greatly. Probably the lowest point in the County is the Grand River where it crosses the state line at 4358 feet above sea level, while the highest points are Leon Peak, 10,954 feet on the southeastern boundary and South Mamm Peak 10,897 feet on the northern boundary, thus estab- lishing a vertical range of something over 6,500 feet. The greater portion of the County is colnposed largely of broad, flat plateaus ranging in altitude from 5,000 to 7,000 feet. and high rolling mesas from 8,000 to 10,000 feet, altho at several points barren and extremely rugged mountains are encountered. D .J MES, ?, COUNTY Three large rivers drain the County: the Grand which flows southwesterly thru the northern part of the County, the Gunnison which flows northwesterly and joins the Grand at Grand Junction, near the center of the County, and the Dolores which, flowing northwesterly toward the Grand River in Utah, cuts a small triangle from the southwest corner of the County. These streams, while all having their sources outside of the County, are considerably augmented by a few principal tributaries, chief among which is Plateau Creek which drains the eastern portion of the County and which is fed by 21 smaller streams. Thruout the western part of the County where there is very little timber to conserve the snow-fall, many of the tributaries are roaring torrents in the spring , but dry up entirely during the summer. 'The western and southern portion of the County, which is by far the larger