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<br />SETTING <br /> <br />The Lower Gunnison Basin Unit study area is located in west-central <br /> <br />Colorado 1n the Lower Gunnison River Basin of Delta, Montrose, and Ouray <br /> <br />Counties. The information presented in this report pertains only to the <br /> <br />Uncompahgre Valley. The remainder of the Lower Gunnison Basin Unit will <br /> <br />be included in future studies. <br /> <br />The Uncompahgre Valley was formed by the Uncompahgre River, a tribu- <br /> <br />tary of the Gunnison River which, in turn, is a tributary of the Colorado <br /> <br />River. The Uncompahgre River flows north from its head in the San Jaun <br /> <br />Mountains in southwestern Colorado to its confluence with the Gunnison <br /> <br />River at Delta. The valley is principally an agricultural area with <br /> <br />irrigation water obtained by diverting some of the flows of the Gunnison <br /> <br />River through the Gunnison Tunnel, and some flows of the Uncompahgre <br /> <br />River and its small tributaries. Irrigated lands in the broad valley <br /> <br />range in elevation from about 4900 feet near Delta to 6400 feet near <br /> <br />Montrose. <br /> <br />U.S. Highway 50, the major automotive route in the area, extends in an <br />, <br /> <br />overall northwest-southeast direction through the towns of Delta, Olathe, <br /> <br />and Montrose. The area south of Montrose is served by U.S. Highway 550 <br /> <br />which provides access through the scenic San Juan Mountains and by State <br /> <br />Highway 62 which extends westward from Ridgway. <br /> <br />Socioeconomic Data <br /> <br />The 1970 population of Delta was 3,700 while Olathe and Montrose p9478 <br />CClb <br />populations of 750 and 6,500 respectively. The rural population was <br /> <br />estimated at 7,000. <br /> <br />The towns are located principally in and are supported by agricul- <br /> <br />tural activities. Livestock and cash crops represented by alfalfa hay, <br /> <br />7 <br />