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<br />co <br />t"- <br />C'j <br /> <br />From an irrigation agriculture standpoint, the topography of the area is <br />extremely rough. More than half of the area consists of high mesa lands. <br />Secondary mesas and alluvial fans lying below the higher mesas have exces- <br />sive slopes and are cut by canyons and severely eroded gullies. These <br />lower mesas and alluvial fans, together with the gentler sloping valley <br />bottoms, furnish the greater part of the farming land. <br /> <br />Project soils have developed primarily from loess deposits over shale, <br />sandstone and gravel outwash material. Other soils have developed in allu- <br />vium from Wasatch, Mancos and Mesa Verde sandstones and shales and undif- <br />ferentiated loess and alluvium. They reflect the influence of their parent <br />material-and the semi-arid climate under which they were developed. Organic <br />matter content is low; however, soils are generally deep and with additions <br />of nitrogen and phosphorus are highly productive. Soils on Harvey Mesa and <br />Davie JI'lesa have loam, si 1 t loam, sandy clay lOaI1l and c1~ loam textures. <br />Soils in Dry Elk Valley have cl~ 10e.:T; -md cla;y textures. In some areas <br />where drainage is a problem, soils contain large enough accumulations of <br />alkali salts to restrict crop production. <br /> <br />C1 imate <br /> <br />The climate of the project area is temperate, semi-arid and is suitable for <br />diversified irrigation farming. Relative humidity is low. Average annual <br />precipitation recorded at Rifle (1931-1952) is 10.5 inches. <br /> <br />The average frost-free period for the Harvey Mesa area is estimated at 141 <br />days, with the last killing frost occurring about May 13 and the first <br />killing frost about September 30. The average frost-free period for Dry <br />Elk Valley is estimated at 128 days. The last killing frost occurs about <br />May 23 and the first killing frost about September 27. <br /> <br />Agricultural Development <br /> <br />Agriculture is the basic industry of the project area. Crop production <br />consists principally of hay and grain, most of which are used locally in <br />the feeding of cattle, sheep, hogs and poultry. Small acreages of sugar <br />beets, potatoes, corn and fruit are also grown. Presently irrigated lands <br />in the project area experience irrigation water shortages after June of <br />each year. <br /> <br />- 2 - <br />