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<br />;~'3229 <br /> <br />THE GCNNISON RIVER DIVERSION PROJECT <br /> <br />269 <br /> <br />"Uncompahgre Valley Project," "Gunnison River Diversion," <br />or "Gunnison Tunnel Project," as it was variously called, be- <br />came one of the first five projects to be taken up by this <br />Service, scheduled for immediate development.'o <br /> <br />This project ranked fifth in importance among twenty- <br />seven irrigation works begun by the government under this <br />act, in terms of acres to be reclaimed, and ranked third in cost, <br />the Reclamation Service estimating that expenditures would <br />approximate four million dollars to complete the tunnel, di- <br />version canals, and associated accoutrements.'" The extent of <br />local support is emphasized by the fact that most of the exist- <br />ing ditches in the Uncompahgre Valley were pledged to help <br />carry the diversion water." <br /> <br />During 1902, surveys were continued by U. S. Geological <br />Survey personnel to ascertain the best location for the tunnel, <br />its dimensions, and the grade which the tunnel should have <br />in its course from the Gunnison River down to the Uncompah- <br />gre Valley. A longer tunnel could have reduced diameter but <br />would have an increased grade, with associated increase in <br />speed of water which might erode away the tunnel's lining. A <br />short tunnel could have a slight grade but would have to have <br />a large bore. Consideration was also given to the best location <br />for the upper end of the tunnel. A dam could be built across <br />the river to facilitate diversion, or the same result could be <br />achieved by increasing the length of the tunnel. According to <br />th U. S. Geological Survey, "All of these matters involve care- <br />ful study and tne preparation of elaborate estimates of cost."" <br /> <br />Although skilled topographers were in short supply, map- <br />ping of the irrigable land in the Uncompahgre Valley pro- <br />ceeded, and it was planned eventually to use power from the <br />tunnel project to pump water to lands not accessible by gravity <br />irrigation. Settlers in the valley, meanwhile, were organizing <br />themselves in a manner similar to the residents of the Salt <br />River Valley in Arizona, as the "Uncompahgre Valley Water <br />Users' Association," and every attempt was being made to <br />simplify and facilitate the operations of the engineers." <br /> <br />Extremely cold and stormy December weather curtailed <br />topographic mapping in the Black Canyon area, and field <br />parties were disbanded in January, 1903. The next few months <br />were devoted to a compilation of data already gathered and <br />the preparation of initial estimates. A preliminary report was <br /> <br />1'3 U. S. Rec1amation Service, 9th Am~'lwl Re2Jort 0/ the Reclamation Service, <br />1909-1910 (l911), 91- <br />20Arthuf Chapman, "Watering the Uncompahgre Valley," Re-view of Re- <br />";ew., Vol. ~O, No, 2 (1909),177, <br />21 U. S. Geolog"ical Survey. 24th A.nnltCll" Report of the U. S. Geological <br />Survey (1903). 22~-225, <br />22 Ibid" 225. <br />:!3 U. S. Geological Sllf\'er. 2nd A.nn-ual Rep01"t oj tile RecloJJ1atio"1l Service, <br />1902-190J (190~), 200. The A8sociation was for~d at Olathe on ~fay 5. 1903. <br />at a con\'ention of delegates of the water u~erS/of the Uncompahgre Valley. It <br />was incorporated in Delta on May 11. There were 513 sig'ners fur stock subscrip- <br />tions, suil~cribing for 63,000 acres, each ~hare representing one acre of land. <br /> <br />,.-,... <br />',' . <br /> <br />',-' ,: ~ <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />" <br /> <br />. '.. -". ..... <br />;~,~~"':~.;'. '(:~.?~ .'..:;.~~ <br />r,:'(:i~;,'ji!;{:};,.' <br />~}~~~ <br /> <br />\/.>:,.,~>'::"~,:-:,~ ..;:;: <br />...... '.' <br />.' '.' ',.:',.,-;' <br />:i':H<~.;:'j~,'" <br /> <br /> <br />::::',:;:';:::3i;.i',':: <br /> <br />"'. -'. <br /> <br />~>..(:;:\):,~;~'~: <br /> <br />::~t).~;;,..~t':;\'~.: <br /> <br />.... .' . .. <br />~.:';:.::\,:':~~'::,~.:: ;~ <br />"~""'.: ":\y?:. <br />;P}',;';:'.:::';'::;~::: <br />~: :f.'?:~:.~:.'.::.:;:;:~.;~ .:,';:' . <br />';{:}::,:~'f,';~(J:;~:1 <br />: .::.: .' . ',:. . ;:;" ~,;. . . <br />~ .;-: . .:. :'. .' .".. . " <br />:.:<,:""'.;....: ,:.' ':::. <br />.. "y': ....::.. <br />~ " ~ :"':~:,; '~~,: ':;'.{~ .:'; <br /> <br />" <br />,1 <br />" <br />