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2 I . PAONIA PROJECT,' COLORADO ment would provide a supplemental water supply for 12,750 acres of cultivated land now inadequately irrigated, a supply for 2,000 acres of new land, and a ~eserve of 4,000 acre-feet of storage water for pos- SIble future needs III the valley of the North Fork of the Gunnison River. Incidental flood control would also be provided by the reservoir. This report is prepared as a presentation of the revised projec~ pl8:n for consideration ?y the Congress with a view to sec13ring authOriZatIOn for use of the reImbursable funds already appropriated to begin immediate construction of the works under the revised project plan, and for appropriation of supplemental funds as required. AUTHORITY FOR REPORT 5. This report is authorized to be made under the Federal Reclama- tion Laws (Act of June 17, 1902, .32 Sta~ 388, and acts amendatory thereof or supplementary thereto). . COOPERATION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 6. All investigations have been carried on by tl~e Bureau of Re- clamation. A number of Federal, State, and local governmental agencies and local interests have supplied helpful information. Fore- mos.t have been the services of the Geological Survey and officials of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the Colorado River Water Conservation District, the North Fork Water Conservancy District and the Colorado State Engineer's office. Officials of local irrigation companies and individual farmers have also contributed helpful information and services. The Corps of Engineers made flood-control studies. PROJECT LOCATION ANn DESCRIPTION OF AREA 7. The project is in the Colorado River drainage basin in Delta and Gunnison Counties of west central Colorado. Most of the project lands are near the towns of Paonia and Hotchkiss in the valIey of the North Fork of the Gunnison River. Gunnison River is tributary to the Colorado with the point of confluence at Grand Junction, Colo., 56 miles northwest of the project area. . 8. The climate is semiarid and irrigation is necessary for successful crop production. Precipitation is erratic and averages slightly less than 12 inches annually with about 5 inches occurring in the growing season. The average mean annual temperature is 490 F. with ext~emes of 280 below zero and 1010 above zero.. Relative humidity. of the area is low, averaging around 39 percent. The irrigation season begins about the middle of April and lasts well into October. . Eleva- tion of the farm lands ranges from 5,400 to 6,800 feet above sea level. Favorable air drainage results in a comparatively long frost-free season conducive to very successful fruit growing on a large part of the project area. 9. SettleJlltlnt in the North Fork Valley started about 1880 and irrigation development rapidly followed until around 1900 when the natural summer flow of streams became fully appropriated and settlers with i unior water rights were compelled to look for means of supplying their lands with supplemental summer water. Although some storage capacity has been developed on tributary streams, high costs due to