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001229 CHAPTER 11 RESOURCES AND USES . Part of the water supply for the City of Montrose is obtained from Cimarron Creek under a right for some of the water diverted through the Cimarron Canal to a small reservoir located about 13 miles east of the City. A pipe system extends from the reservoir to the City. Since 1915, Montrose has been supplementing its water supply with Uncompahgre Project water conveyed through the Gunnison tunnel during the irrigation season. The City has recently constructed another reservoir about 5 miles east of the city limits that is filled princi- pally from the South Canal. Present contractual arrangements provide that Montrose purchase Uncompahgre Project water through the Tri-County District until such time as water is available from the Dallas Creek Project. Olathe obtains its water supply through a pipe system extending from a small reservoir in the Dry Creek drainage on the Uncompahgre Plateau above the Uncompahgre Project irrigation service area. A pipe system extending from small streams and reservoirs on the south slopes of Grand Mesa supplies municipal water for the City of Delta. . Two small water companies, the Menoken Water Company and the Chipeta Water Company, supply domestic water to portions of the rural areas of the Uncompahgre Project. The two companies obtain their water supplies primarily from local nonproject sources although the Menoken Water Company does obtain some water from the Uncompahgre Project to supplement its supply. Recreational Water Uses The Gunnison River, its tributaries, and the lakes and reservoirs within the Gunnison River basin provide many recreational opportunities that are utilized by local residents and the many visitors residing in areas outside the basin. Most of the many campgrounds and picnic facilities have been constructed in the alpine areas near streams, lakes and reservoirs and are enjoyed by those interested in fishing, boating, hiking, photography, and general sight-seeing. The headwaters of the Gunnison River and many of its tributaries provide excellent trout fishing as do the high elevation lakes and reservoirs. The lower reaches of the Gunnison River and its major tributaries contain relatively high concentrations of sediment, min- erals, and other impurities that are detrimental to trout habitat and propagation, but the lower elevation stream segments do support some trout as well as other varieties of fish. Water temperatures of the high elevation lakes and reservoirs generally remain too low for general swimming and water skiing use even in the late summer period but the few small reservoirs in the lower elevations are heavily used for such sports. Some reaches of the Gunnison River are occasionally utilized by "float fishermen", canoeists and other boating use. . 32