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OD~~29 -13- plished on August 14. 1906. In the meantime the Reolamation Aot had heen passed by Congress and the Unoompahgre Projeot approved for oonstruotion. Subsequent investi:;ation determined the tunnel should be driven at anoth- er point and a new beginning WaS IJl!l.de in January 1905. The U, S. Reclamation Servioe first operated the oanals in the valley in 1908. N" "rl:r 80% of the irrige,ted area helow Colona is now in I the Projeot. the other 20% being seI'Ved by private ditohes. Present ir- rigate d Mreage in the lower valley is around 75,000 aores. 11, Reclamation Projeot. I I There ware three principal features to the Projeot plan' (1) T,o oonstruot the Gunnison tunnel whioh would bring in about 1.000 seoond- feet of Gunnison River water; (2) to build the South and West Canals. Vihioh v<<luld oarry the Gunnison Vliter up to within 2-1/2 miles of Colona and would oaver a larger area than that oovered by existing private Ca- nals; and (3) to buy and oonsolidate sane of the private ditches, and to enlarge and extend the ditches thus ecquired. A oontract was let for the oonstruotion of the tunnel and' work was started in January 1905. The oontrD,otor quit by the end of Hay. and the work Vi8.S taken up and carried to oompletion by the Reclamation Ser- vioe. The tunnel VIis finished at a cost of $2.905.307. It waS dedicated by President Taft on September 23. 1909. The South Canal started opera- tion in August 1910. at the same time the first tunnel ""tar VIiS brought in for use on the Project. Construction of the, Project according to the original plan was considered practically complete hy 1925. Since that time. however. a drainage system and the Taylor Park Reservoir have been built which add somewhat to the construction features of the project. I Need for the drainage systam is disoussed under the sub-title "Drainage". and the extent and location of the recently oonstructed open drains is shom on the map marked Plate IV. Taylor Purk Reservoir ""s built on the Taylor River a tributary of the Gunnison to regulate the supply of ""tel' for the tunnel. It is located about 25 miles northwest of Gunnison. Colorado and has 8. oapaoity of 106.230 A.F. Operation of the reservoir commenoed in September 1937. Operation and maintenance of the Project WaS taken aver by the Uncanpahgre Valley Water Users' Association in 1932. 12. Development of Acrenge, Growth in ncreage of irrigated land can be studied from three sources of information. (1) U. S. Census reports. (2) Water Commis- sioner's records. and (3) U. S. BureaU of Reolamation reports of irri-