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..! PARSHALL PROJECT, COLORADO The larger Plan r would increase the usable irrigation water supply for the project area by an average of 20,570 acre-feet annually. The supply would consist of 12,080 acre-feet of released storage water, 4,540 acre-feet of usable return flow, and 3,950 acre-feet of natural flow of which about 870 acre-feet would be divertible under the l59-second-foot conditional right of the Big Lake Ditch Company. Irrigation shortages under Plan I would have occurred in 3 years of the 10-;lrear study period and would have averaged 1.1 percent of the 10-year demand. The maximum annual shortage would have been equal to 9.2 percent of the irrigation requirement. An average of 6,600 acre-feet of storage water annually would have been needed for downstrea.m rights in order to replace water diverted by the project. Plan I would deplete the flow of Willia.ms Fork River by an average of about 11,500 acre-feet annually. Plan II would increase the irrigation supply by an average of 10,310 /tcre-feet annually made up of 7,650 acre-feet of storage water, I, 790 acre-feet of return flow, and 870 acre-feet of natural flow under the existing conditional right of' the Big Lake Ditch Company. Shortages would have occurred in 2 years of the 10-year period and would have averaged only 0.5 percent of the 10-year demand. Replacement water needs, for down- strea.m rights would have averaged 7,800 acre-feet annually. Pl"an II would deplete the flow of Willia.ms Fork River by an average of about 6,200 acre- feet annually. Agricultural Econo!ll;l!: Because of climatic conditions characteristic of the project area crops are limited to livestock feeds such as alfalfa, grass hay, small grains, and truck crops that include carrots, beets, potatoes, and leaf vegetables. A marked increase in the production of truck crops has been noted in recent years. Dry land grain farming rotated with sUl1lll1er fallow has been undertaken with varying degrees of success on small acreages. Wheat acreage allotments totaling 625 acres have been issued to six of the project landowners. LiVestock feeds grown on the irrigated land plUS the forage pro- vided on adjacent range lands support a livestock economy that is typical of western mountain areas. It is the principal farming enterprise of the project area. Project lands, according to the county assessor's records, are owned by 54 individuals, the city and county of De:pver, and the Federal gov- ernment. The farms vary widely in size but average 1,112 acres of which 186 acres are irrigated and the remaining 926 acres are dry grazing land. In addition to the land owned, most livestock farmers have, grazing rights on nearby National forests or on other public domain. 21