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. . . 001212 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION hourly rates as required. The Association owns essentially all of the equipment used in its maintenance work and performs nearly all of the work with its own forces. During the winter months, late October to April, and as time permits during the remainder of the year, the operating force is utilized for performance of maintenance work, thus providing full-time employment for an experienced work force and at the same time assuring the continuance of a strong maintenance program. Most of the timber structures have short useful lives and many of such structures have been replaced several times during the period of project operation. The present practice is to replace the structures with materials of a more permanent nature insofar as time and available funds will permit. Some of the newer structures are equipped with motors for operating gates and two of the newer diversion dams include equipment for auto- matic operation of gates. The remainder of the water control structures require manual operation of gates and placement of wooden stop planks. The open earth canals, laterals and drains require considerable maintenance work for removal of sediment deposits and for control of weeds and other vegetation. Most of the canals and some laterals convey water continuously throughout the year, although the winter flows are small and are used for watering of livestock. This contin- uous operation restricts maintenance activities and creates operational problems during periods of low winter temperatures. Even though better transportation, communication and equipment have brought about reductions in the number of project operating per- sonnel, operation and maintenance costs have risen almost continuously. During the period of operation and maintenance by the water users association, the costs have risen from a level of about $100,000 per year to a current level of about $450,000 per year. The increase is due to several factors including rising costs of labor and materials, the continuing need for replacement of structures, and the policy of improving the quality of the structure replacements and the general project maintenance. Annual operation and maintenance costs are shown graphically on the following page for the years 1932 through 1970. Municipal and Domestic Water Beginning in 1915, small amounts of Uncompahgre Project water have been purchased by the city of Montrose during the irrigation season to supplement water supplies available to the city from other sources. Present contractual arrangements between the United States, the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association, the Tri-County Water Con- servancy District and the City of Montrose provide that Uncompahgre Project water can be sold to the Tri-County District for its use or resale to the city of Montrose until such time as water is available 15