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before and during irrigation, in an attempt to determine what values I I I I I I I - century can now be contrasted with a period of roughly 35 years from 1946 through 1980, during which the most far-reaching change was in large-scale application of irrigation water to an already rich soil and in favorable climate for crop production. The early period of dryland agriculture which many fear will return to West Texas laid the foundations for an unparalleled span of prosperity on and off the South Plains farms, It is important to study both periods -- ......... h.", ...++.....:.....+...&..,_ +... .....~-='_L'_ ____.._..1 .._.&._u __.J ...._ ...._..._.._.-'__ ....Ull uc; U......IIUI.oI...UUIC l.U ovallOUIt: YIUUlIU wal..CI OIlU l,.U UCl.~nllllle as THE TEXAS SOUTH PLAINS TODAY I I I I I I I I I well what the region's people expect in the years ahead as the water becomes less plentiful and much more costly to bring up to their farms. When we speak here of "today" it is intended to mean the more general "recent times" of the past five or ten years, depending upon the topic discussed, than the immediate present. This has been the time-period on which our data collection and personal information gathering and discussions in the area have concentrated. We start with the basics of soil and water conditions and proceed to consider farm production, off-farm activities. and economic/ social and demographic trends. Soil and Water Conditions Today Some understanding of the Texas South Plains soil characteris- tics is a useful forerunner to understanding its present water uses and needs, its present agricultural production in an irrigation- . . IV-16 I Arthur D Little.lnc I