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<br />,.,,~ <br />.C:<--':.:; <br />'("--'-"~ <br />"?irdii' <br /> <br />FARMING SINCE THE 1880's <br /> <br />No major amount of farming or ranching was possible in the project <br />area until after the Ute Indians left Western Colorado in 1881 under a <br />compromise agreement following the infamous Meeker Massacre in 1879. <br /> <br />Settlers began coming into the area immediately - some from <br />mining camps in the mountains. some from Eastern Colorado. and still <br />others from the Midwest and East. The settlers soon discovered that <br />irrigation was necessary. Many were grE1enhorns at farming by running <br />water through furrows, but they tackled the task with determination that <br />made up for lack of experience. <br /> <br />The pioneers dug many irrigation ditches, using shovels. plows, and <br />fresnos. They went to court and established their rights to the use of <br />water. But it was not long before they discovered they were using all <br />the water in the creeks in late summer and early fall when they needed <br />it most. Their solution was to hitch their teams to wagons loaded with <br />tools and grub and head for the watersheds of Tongue, Leroux, and <br />Surfact Creeks high on the slopes of maiestic Grand Mesa to find reservoir <br />sites. They enlarged natural lakes, and threw dams across streams to store <br />spring snowmelt for use late in the summer. <br /> <br />Climatic chang<<s resulting in less precipitation sent their children and <br />grandchildren searching for more water. Construction costs are higher, <br />and good reservoir sites are scarce. The proposed Grand Mesa Project <br />is the best answer to the problem of more water for the farms and ranches <br />of the area. <br /> <br /> <br />Old irrigation system on Cedar Mesa abandoned for lack of water <br /> <br />.-.....,.,.,.." . 'r - .., __'.' ,.~. <br />