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. II ( ., ,. . '- (' . .., l .. ",'- 7 - Flood-producing storms occur most frequently during the summer, or early fall and are characterized by localized, short duration, ,torrential ~hunderstormsthat increase in intensity toward the Little Book Cliffs. Rainfall amounts in this type of storm also increase ' , to''lard the higher elevations. ~'later Uses and Sources.- The irrigated cropland in the watershed 'is served by the High .Line Canal, the _Grand Valley Canal, the Mesa County Canal, and the Stub Ditch. All of these canals obtain water by diversion fram the Colorado River. The High Line Canal was financed and constructed as a part of the Grand Valley Project by the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation. In 1949, the Grand Valley Water Users' Association assumed the care, operation, and maintenance of the canal along with other project facilities. The Grand Valley Canal and the Mesa County Canal are owned and operated by the Grand Valley Irrigation Company. The Stub Ditch is owned and operated by the Mesa County Irrigation District and obtains water by pumping fram the High Line Canal. Most of the water used for ,domestic and commercial purposes in the watershed is supplied by the Grand Junction water system, which obtains ~mter fram Kahnah Creek about 25 miles southeast of the city. Water from shallow wells in the area is generally not satisfactory for most purposes because of the high content of salts. In the upper watershed area, runoff water can be obtained intermittently for livestock use by storage in small ponds. Economic Data The original town site of Grand Junction-was established in 1881. In 1883 the area now comprising Mesa County was taken fram the western part of Gunnison County and organized as a political unit. The completion of the Denver and Rio Grande West9rn Railroad through the area in 1883 greatly facilitated early settlement. The agricultural development of the Grand Valley began with the completion of the first system of irrigation canals in 1885. The largest irrigation canal in the Grand Valley, the High Line Canal, was completed in 1914. Grand Junction, with a population of 18,694 (1960 census), is the county seat of Mesa County and the largest city in western Colorado. It is the ~~jor trade center for Mesa County, as well as for surrounding areas in west-central Colorado and east-central utah. Manufacturing, mining, and ore processing are among the principal industries of the area. The importance of agriculture to the economy of the area is illustrated by the fact that Mesa County ranks among the leading counties in the nation in production of certain types of livestock, fruit, and other farm products.