Ancestral Colorado River
During most of the Pliocene Epoch the ancestral Colorado River did not flow past what is now Grand Junction; instead, it joined with the ancestral Gunnison River about 10 miles southeast of the present city, and the combined streams flowed southwestward across the slowly rising Uncompahgre arch through what was later to be called Unaweep Canyon ([fig. 36]). Southwest of the canyon, near the site of the present town of Gateway, the ancestral Colorado River was joined by the combined flows of the ancestral San Miguel River and the previously diverted ancestral Dolores River, then it flowed northwestward to what is now the mainstem of the Colorado River.
I have attempted to show my ideas of this ancient drainage system as it may have existed in middle to late Pliocene time in [figure 34]. But the stage was set for more spectacular drainage changes to follow.