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~ -=:l" .... Co! July 1976 SUMMARY SHEET Uncompahgre Improvement Project LOCATION The Project is located in southwestern Colorado between and adjacent to the cities of Delta and Montrose along the Uncompahgre River in the upper Colorado River Basin. CURRENT STATUS A special report entitled "Uncompahgre Improvement and Extension Project", was completed in January 1972. Feasibility studies were authorized by PL 92-577 dated October 27, 1972 and funding occurred early in 1974. An multi-objective-planning team was organized in May of 1974 and public meetings held in Montrose, Delta, Olathe, and Gunnison, The collection of available resource data and problems and needs is essentially completeo Land classification revisions and land use survey have been completed. A contract to prepare fish and wildlife data was awarded to the Colorado Division of Wildlife. A contract for orthophoto maps was awarded on June 29, 1976. Alternative plan studies are in progress. PLAN The Uncompahgre Project is one of the oldest Federal Reclamation projects. Most of the original features were constructed prior to 1915 and over the years operation, maintenance, and replacement costs have skyrocketed as the sturctures deteriorate with age. Water shortages are noted particularly during the peak irrigation season. The shortages occur because of the lack of available storage and from leakage losses and bottlenecks in the system. The purchase of water from the Dallas Creek Project has essentially ful- filled the storage requir~ment, however the need for improvement of the system is still a concern of the water users. Alternative plan studies are concentrating on improving the distribution system through lining canals and laterals and feature replacement. Alter- natives range from replacing the majority of the structures and lining the canals and laterals to very limited lining and replacing only selected structures. Costs for such alternatives range up to 75 million dollars. The array of alternatives will be presented to the water users and general public to select the most desirable plan of development.