BOARD02425

• Board Meeting Date: 10/31/1957
• Description: Minutes
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

827

PRIORITIES OF COLORADO RECLAMATION PROJECTS AND STUDIES

I

The following facts with regard to the determina-
tion of priorities of Bureau of Reclamation projects and
studies are submitted.
The Uncompahqre Valley Water Users Association.
Surveys were begun on the Uncompahgre project by
the Geological Survey in 1901, continued by reclamation ser-
vice. Prior to 1903, 30,000 acres were under irrigation in
the Uncompahgre Valley. The priority for this project came
with surveys by the Bureau and its predecessors, and through
the desires of the Uncompahgre Valley Users Association.
There was evidently no competition.
The Grand Valley Project.
The Grand Valley Project was called into existence
between 1886 and 1902 becaus~ "several attempts were made by
private interests to construct a canal to the higher lands
in the valley, but because of initial technical differences,
private investors were unwilling to back the project". Local
citizens requested an examination after the passage of the
Reclamation Act in 1902, and formed in 1905 an organization
to cooperate with the Reclamation service in developing a
project. Construction was authorized in September, 1912.
The Colorado-Biq T~ompson Project.
In August 1935, the Bureau of Reclamation allotted

I