<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.
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