Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Onil5Jl <br />I -;J ~>> <br /> <br />April 1971 <br /> <br />SUMMARY SHEETS <br /> <br />Uncompahgre Extension Project, Colorado <br /> <br />LOCATION: <br /> <br />The Uncompahgre Improvement and Extension Project includes the <br />entire present Uncompahgre Project area in Montrose and Delta <br />Counties. <br /> <br />FUNCTIONS: <br /> <br />The project plan would be designed to' serve the functions of irri- <br />gation, recreation, fish and wildlife, flooa control, water pollu- <br />tion and salinity control, hydroelectric power production and muni- <br />cipal and industrial water uses. <br /> <br />PRESENT STATUS: <br /> <br />The original Uncompahgre Project, authorized in 1903, was construc- <br />ted by the Bureau of Reclamation. Early construction by the Bureau <br />utilized the available natural resources of earth and timber. Canals. <br />and laterals were earth sections without lining of any kind. Diver- <br />sion works, drops, chutes, bridges, etc. were nearly all of timber <br />construction. Present water diversions are not efficiently utilized <br />because of the high degree of canal leakage. The canal leakage and <br />deep percolation losses add to the area's salinity and water pollu- <br />tion problems. Irrigation efficiencies are about 30 percent and the <br />distribution of water by months is poor because of the stream runoff <br />and structural bottlenecks that restrict the needed.peak delivery <br />requirem~nts. Over the years the Uncompahgre Water Users Assoc iad. on <br />have had to replace or line many of the original structures because <br />of high leakage, rotten timber, or flood waters. The replacement <br />of these structures has added to the indebtedness of the project. <br />Current payments under contract will reach $120,000 annually by 1978' <br />and operation, maintenance, and replacement costs in 1968 totaled <br />about $405,000. As operation, maintenance, and replacment and con- <br />struction costs continue to increase, the irrigators' financial <br />burden will also increase unless corrective action is taken. <br /> <br />IMPROVEMENT AND EXTENSION INVESTIGATIONS: <br /> <br />The Uncompahgre ,Water Users Association has asked the Bureau of' <br />Reclamation to assist in finding a solution to their problems. <br />Several suggestions have been proposed, but each needs to be invest- <br />igated before it can be incorporated in a project plan and recom- <br />mended for authorization. The basic investigations would be to <br />