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<br />0'; <br />!'- <br />c-. <br /> <br />...:. <br /> <br />REPORT ON REAPPRAISAL OF DIRECT AGRICULTURAl.. BENEFITS & PROJECT IMPACTS <br /> <br />SIlITH FORK PROJECT - COLORADO <br /> <br />SUMMARY <br /> <br />Authori ty and Scope <br /> <br />This report of the Smith Fork project, Colorado River Storage Project has <br />been prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in response to the <br />President's letters of March 19, 1954 to the Secretary of Agriculture and <br />the Secretary of the Interior. In his letters, the President requested <br />that a reappraisal of the direct agricultural benefits anticipated from the <br />participating projects of the Colorado River Storage Project be made by the <br />Department of Agriculture in cooperation with the Department of the Interior. <br />Following the authorization of the Colorado River Storage Project by Congress, <br />April 11, 1956, an understanding was reached in July 1956 between the <br />Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of the Interior regarding conduct of <br />a survey to reappraise direct agricultural benefits and to appraise project <br />impacts. The Department of Agriculture survey was made under the authority <br />of Section 6, Public Law 566, 83rd Congress, as amended, which authorizes <br />the Department to cooperate with other federal, state, and local agencies <br />to make investigations and surveys of the watersheds of rivers as a basis <br />for the development of coordinated programs. <br /> <br />The survey is based on the Smi th Fork project plan as outlined by the <br />Bureau of Reclamation and the reappraisal of direct agricultural benefits <br />is confined to the proposed project facilities and the lands which they will <br />serve. <br /> <br />In addition to the agricultural phases, this report deals with the impacts <br />of the project on the national forests and the relationship of watershed <br />conditions to the project. This report is also intended to aid the Bureau <br />of Reclamation in developing a sound project plan and to provide information <br />bearing on regular programs of this Department. <br /> <br />General Description <br /> <br />The Smith Fork project is located in the southeastern corner of Delta <br />County, Colorado. Evelation of project lands varies from 5,500 to 7,200 <br />feet; the climate is semi-arid with an average annual precipitation of <br />about 10 inches and a frost-free period of 135-145 days. <br /> <br />Agriculture is the basic industry of the project area. Income is derived <br />primarily from the sale of livestock and livestock products. Irrigated <br />lands are used primarily for the growing of hay, grain and pasture <br /> <br />i <br />