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Water Supply Projects built by the Water and Power Resources Service supply water to 99,000 acres, 54 percent of the irrigated land in the valley. The largest, the Uncompahgre Project diverting water from the Uncompahgre River and from the Gunnison River through the seven mile long Gunnison Tunnel completed in 1908, is a full service project. Taylor Dam and Reservoir, completed in 1929, stores water for late season use within the Uncompahgre Project area. Other projects for irrigation water supply include the Fruitgrowers Dam, the Paonia Project, the Smith Fork Project, the Cimarron Project and the Dallas Creek Project wherein the Ridgeway Dam currently is under construction. Water for the balance of the irrigated land is supplied by numerous private and group ditches and storage reservoirs which depend on direct runoff and cannot be relied upon to meet late season water requirements. Land Resources For the most part soils of the Lower Gunnison area, derived from the Mancos shale formation, generally have a high clay and silt content, are slowly permeable, high in soluble salts, susceptible to sheet and gully erosion and require careful management. Because of the arid climate at the lower elevations, salts have not been leached naturally and large quantities remain. However, starting at about 6,200 feet elevation a rapid change in precipitation occurs and naturally occurring salts are not as prevalent. Wildlife Resources Wetlands are an important part of the total wildlife habitat in the Lower Gunnison River Basin. Although comprising about 12 percent of the total study area, wetlands are disproportionately important because of high vegetation and wildlife diversity, dispersion and productivity. Historically, broad riverbottoms and adjacent drainages probably supported extensive riparian woodlands, large, dense willow stands and 1II-5 r(1~;;3