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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />mountains throughout the year, and a deep snowpack accumulates during winter. In <br />valleys, precipitation in summer falls as showers and some thunderstorms occur. In <br />winter, the ground is covered with snow much of the time. Table 4-1 presents <br />temperature and precipitation data for Delta, Cedaredge and Paonia, Colorado. <br /> <br />In winter, the average daily temperature is approximately 290F, and the average daily <br />minimum temperature is approximately 160F. In summer, the average temperature is <br />70oF, and the average daily maximum temperature is 850F in most of the service area. <br />Table 4-2 presents the probabilities of last freezing temperatures in ,spring and first in <br />fall for Delta, Cedaredge, and Paonia, Colorado. <br /> <br />Of the total annual precipitation, 50 percent usually falls in April through September. <br />Thunderstorms occur on about 35 days each year and most occur in summer. The <br />service area has a growing season greatc':r than abo~t 113 days. Table 4-3 presents the <br />probability of longer growing seasons for Delta, Cedaredge and Paonia, Colorado. <br /> <br />4.2.3 Population and Employment <br /> <br />" ~~~ <br /> <br />-, <br /> <br />Population and employmentjnformatioD for the service area can be related to the labor <br />and employment statisti9 {or 1985-1991 for Delta and Gunnison counties. This <br />information is presented in Figures 4;3 and 4-4. As noted in these figures, the <br />population in and around the service area was generally decreasing until 1990, when <br />population increased>Unemployment peaked in 1986-1987, decreasing until 1990, when <br />it increased sIJghtly-in Gunnison County and more steeply in Delta County. Eleven- <br />month averages lOi-'199i indicate unemployment leveling off in both counties in 1992. <br /> <br />4.2.4 Land 'Use <br /> <br />, <br /><, <br /> <br />" <br /> <br />The Beaver Reservoir irrigation system irrigates approximately 3,500 acres of farmland. <br />Crops grown in lands served by the Beaver Reservoir irrigation system include wheat, <br />corn for grain and silage, barley, oats, dry beans, hay and alfalfa. Fruit crops include <br />apples, peaches, pears and tart cherries. No data were available on the actual <br />percentages of the various irrigated crops in the service area; however, a rough <br />breakdown of the various crops for Delta County was estimated from Colorado <br /> <br />;-.'" <br /> <br />23067/Rl.4 09-03-93(9:46llD1)/RPT <br /> <br />4-2 <br />