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. . . CHAPTER I GEI~ DISCUSSIONS Gould Reservoir to Gould Canal during the winter for the filling of stock ponds and tanles. Hater for household use is hauled from the CralTford municipal system and stored in cisterns at the individual farm residences. Nearby reclamation projects Immediately north of the irrigable lands of the Fruitland Mesa p roj- ect are lands that "ill be irrigated from the Smith Fork project lThich is being constructed as a participating project. The Smith Fork project "ill include the Cra"ford Reservoir on the lOlTer reaches of Iron Creek and a feeder canal to the reservoir from Smith For],. Just north of the Smith Fork project is the Paonia project, another participating project, con- struction of lThieh is ne8J.'ing conr.i?letion. The Paonia project utilizes t;ater of the North For]e of Gunnison River and Muddy Creek, a tributa.!"J of the North Fork. Southeast of the Fruitland Mesa project the authorized Cuxecanti unit of the Colorado River Storage project "ill include a series of reservoirs on the Gunnison River immediately upstream from the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument. The reservoirs l'Till regulate the Hm, of the river as required in a basin-"ide development plan for the Colorado River. Pm,er <rill be generated at a pOlTerplant located at the l:Jase of each dam. The largest and uppermost Blue l1esa Reservoir of the Curecanti unit l,rill be formed by a dam 350 feet high at a point about 3 miles dOlmstream from the mouth of Soap Creek. This reservoir "ill inundate the lOl,er 4 miles of the Soap Creek channel. Next dmmstream from Blue Mesa Reservoir will be the Morro" Point Reservoir formed by a dam 400 feet high at a point about 8 miles dO\ll1stream from the mouth of Curecanti Creek. Curecanti Creek "ill discharge into this reservoir but only the mouth of the stream "ill be immdated. A third reservoir (Crystal) which would inundate about 5 miles of the Black Canyon :immediately belm, the Morrow Point Reservoir is under irwestigation. Crystal Creek discharges into t-he Crystal Reser- voir site. Need for Fruitland Mesa Project The greatest need of the project area is for an additional and depend- able irrigation lTater supply to inr.i?rove and stabilize the economic status of the farmers and the related service industries and to ~rovide opportu- nit-ies for agricultural expansion. The area is one of generally depressed living standards largely because of inadequate supplies of irrigation water and a gradual reduction in grazing ~rivileges on Federal lands. Based on the condition of farm dwellings, other farm buildings, and farm and home conveniences, the general economic well being of the project area resi- dents is below average for the state. Many of the homes are small, cheaply constructed, and of old design. Many are poorly furnished and inadequately equipped \lith modern appliances and conveniences. 7