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l' r. ~: 3 8 0 '..' " '." , .~ Agricultural Development . of previously irrigated land have been lost in the last 15 years to highway, urban, and industrial expansion. Also, some previously irrigated lands are not presently irrigated because of conversion of water rights from agricultural to municipal and industrial uses. It is estimated that about 134,000 acres of agricultural land are presently under a ditch or well system. Of this amo\U1t, about 2,400 acres use a ground-water supply. About 95,000 acres of the 134,000 acres are located within the present boundaries of the Northetn Colorado Water Conservancy District; the remainder, 39,000 acres, is outside district boundaries. The general location of the irrigated lands is shown on exhibit 2. Previous Land Classification Studies No land classification survey was made for the St. Vrain Unit investigations because in the early phases of the studies it was concluded that sufficient in-basin water supplies were not economically availa~le to warrant consideration of additional surface-water irriga~ tion dEivelopment. The matter is further complicated by some of the presently non-irrigated land being absorbed by new urban development. . A detailed land classification was completed by the Bureau in 1953 on approximately 55,000 acres in connection with certification requirements for the Boulder Creek Supply Canal. This classification was copfined to areas that could be served from the existingdistri-, butionsystem. The classification indicated that, of the 55,000 acres," there were 35,000 acres of irrigable land, of which 4,000 acres were not irrigated. Also, there were 5,000 acres of irrigated land that did not meet the requirements for irrigable land according to Bureau of Reclamation standards; the principal limitation was lack of sub- surface drainage. Irrigation Potentialities If in some future studies irrigation is considered a part of the pl~n of development, some land classification information would be required. There would be a need to determine more accurately the amount of presently irrigated land and if it is pump or gravity' l\(rrigated. Also, information would be required on the amount of irrigated land for which the use of supplemental water would not be recol!llllended; these lands have soils which are extremely shallow to shale ,or cobble or have a high water table and/or concentration of soluble salts. The present production on these lands is low and the. application of more water could destroy their capabilities for any type of production. In addition, there is considerable land under . 22 .,' 'H'r cd.' .,-i > -~~~ "..:;; \ -. ;ci;< )'~'- 31.