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. . . on~Ol CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION depleted and mining of many others became uneconomical because of changing economic conditions. During the same period, ranching and farming operations were being established at a slower but more stable rate. The towns of Montrose, Delta, and Olathe were established in the area that later was to be provided irrigation service by the Uncompahgre Project. By 1890 about 30,000 acres of land had been provided a partial water supply through a system of canals diverting direct flows from the Uncompahgre River. Flows of the river were inadequate to provide a full aupply for the arable lands of the valley, however, and means of diverting Gunnison River water into the valley were investigated. Work was begun in 1901 on construction of a tunnel from the Gunnison River with assistance of the State of Colorado but because of the size, complexity and cost of the under- taking, aid from the Federal Government was solicited under the newly established Reclamation program. Development of the Uncompah~re Project Construction and Rehabilitation The Uncompahgre Project was authorized in 1903, being one of the first five projects authorized for construction following passage of the Reclamation Act in 1902. Following project authorization, work was resumed on the Gunnison Tunnel and work was begun on South Canal, one of the two new main canals necessary to deliver water to the project lands. The plan provided that most of the water diverted through the Gunnison Tunnel would be conveyed by and released from South Canal to the Uncompahgre River for re-diversion by existing downstream canals. The existing canals were acquired by the project and enlarged and otherwise improved as necessary for delivery of the water to the lands. Gunnison Tunnel and South Canal were operable beginning in 1910 and West Canal, the other new main canal, was con- structed in 1912. Acquisition negotiations for the existing canals required several years. Actual enlargement and improvement work on the canals and their lateral systems was performed principally within the period 1908 through 1915. Some minor construction work continued until 1922. During the period of project operation prior to the mid-1930s, deterioration had occurred in reaches of Gunnison Tunnel lining and some of the canal structures, particularly those along South Canal, were in need of major repairs or replacement. Drought years of the early 1930s bad also demonstrated that late summer flows of the Gunnison and Uncompahgre Rivers were inadequate at times to provide a dependable water supply for the project. In addition, continued irrigation had caused water tables to rise appreciable in many of the project lands, and the need for an artificial land' drainage system became evident. As a result of these deficiencies, Taylor Park Reservoir was constructed and various canal structures were replaced 4