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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 5. cooler and precipitation increases substantially within the watershed area. Most of the precipitation above 7,000 feet falls as snow. 3. History and Fr.onomy. The area around Palisade was initially settled in the early 1880's. Early residents constructed irrigation canals, planted fruit orchards, and developed coal mines in the adjacent Bookcliffs. The Town of Palisade was first established about 1895 and incorporated in 1904; by 1905 its population was 500 people. Palisade has experienced a moderate growth since it was incorporated; the 1990 census lists its population as 1870 people. The Town presently serves as a service and commercial center for the surrounding agriculture area. It is famous for the flavor and abundance of its peaches and is known as tile "Peach Capital of Colorado". Historically, its major industry has been froit packing; the establishment of wine grape vineyards has resulted in addition of several wineries in the area in the past 10 years. Coal mines tunneled into the Mesa Verde formation are also an important contributor to the economy. Most of the smaller mines have been abandoned; however, there is a large scale mining operation (powderhorn Coal Co.) located 3 miles east in DeBeque Canyon. Tourism and service industries have become more important in the Grand Valley area. There are numerous opportunities for recreation, both in the canyon country to the west, a1ld the higher elevation forested areas to the east. A modest number of retirees have located in the area. 4. Organi7.l1tion of Town Government The Town of Palisade is govemed by a mayor and six council members. All members are elected at-large and serve staggered 4 year terms. The Town is administered by a Town Manager who oversees a staff of 15: two are clerical, 5 are in the Public Works Department, and 7 are in the Police Department. The Town operates its own water and sewer systems. Other services provided are police protection, street maintenance, parks and open space, recreation, and cemetery maintenance. Water Service Area. The Town provides services for police protection, sewer service and street maintenance only within the incorporated limits of the Town. However, the Town furnishes treated water to a service area considerably larger than the corporate limits of the Town. The two major service areas outside of Town are the Vinelands area to the east, and the West Palisade area to the west (Figure ill-2). The service area line outside Town limits contains approximately 1260 acres, while the Town area now contains approximately ffi-2