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<br />o <br /> <br />(oJ <br /> <br />History <br /> <br />Settlement by white pop11lation in the vicinity of the project <br /> <br />area started about 1880 while Western Colorado was still inhabited <br /> <br />by the Ute Indians. The Indians somewhat retarded active settlement <br /> <br />until a compromise agreement was reached on September 4, 1881, pro- <br /> <br />viding for .the Indians to leave Colorado and locate on Uintah Indian <br /> <br />Reservation provided by the United states Government in the territor,r <br /> <br />of Utah. Negotiations with the Indians had hardly been completed until <br /> <br />large numbers of white settlers moved in from Eastern Colorado and from <br /> <br />the numerous mining camps located higher in the Colorado River Basin. <br /> <br />Existing Irrigation <br /> <br />Early settlers found irrigation necessary for successful farming. <br /> <br />" <br /> <br />Facilities needed for the irrigation of land under streams tributary <br /> <br />to the Colorado River were soon found to be less expensive to construct <br /> <br />and operate than those required for diverting water from the main river. <br /> <br />Ditches from tributary streams were thus rapidly constructed and <br /> <br />irrigation demand soon exceeded the unregulated late season water supply <br /> <br />of $uch streams. As irrigation in the area increased, shortages became <br /> <br />more common and the earlier water rights of tributary streams became <br /> <br />.:; <br /> <br />very valuable. <br /> <br />Lands comprising the Silt Project are under irrigation facilities <br /> <br />of the Farmerls Irrii\ation Company and the Davie Ditch. The Farmer's <br /> <br />Irrigation Compan,y serves a partial water supply to 5,220 acres of land <br />by means of the Gra.ss Valley Canal which diverts from Upper East Rifle <br /> <br />Creek. Of the 5,220 acres 4,090 are under the Harvey Gap Reservoir, <br /> <br />i.L <br />