Identification and Evaluation of Potential Thrid Party Impacts Related to the Habitat Component of the Proposed Platte River Recovery

• Description: PRRIP
• State: CO
• State: NE
• State: WY
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 6/13/2000
• Author: Hazen and Sawyer Environmental Engineers & Scientists
• Title: Identification and Evaluation of Potential Third Party Impacts Related to the Habitat Component of the Proposed Platte River Recovery Implementation Plan Final Report
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

2.0 Study Area
Agriculture is a very important sector for many counties within the study area. For instance, in
Hamilton, Kearney, Merrick and Phelps Counties, 20 percent of total county personal income in
1996 was derived from farm operations.I
Agricultural production, which is important throughout the study area, includes corn, soybeans,
winter wheat, sorghum, hay, beef cattle, milk cows, hogs and pigs, and sheep and lambs. Table
2.1 -3 summarizes the crop production by acreage and crop type for each county in the study area
for 1997. Corn was the largest crop in the region with 1.8 million acres yielding 257 million
bushels. Soybeans were the second largest crop with 219,100 acres yielding 10.4 million
bushels. Table 2.1 -3 also summarizes the number of wells and the amount of acreage irrigated
by county. In 1996, about 80 percent of the acreage in crop production was irrigated in the nine
county study area.
Table 2.1 -3
1997 Crop Production by County
Total Nine- County Study Area
Acres Harvested Production (1,000 bushels
„ in 1997 unless otherwise indicated)
Corn for Grain 1
1'772'600 '
'
219,100 1
10,461
Soybeans 2
68,100
2,470
Winter Wheat 6
44,300 3
3,142
Grain Sorghum 4
500 3
34
Oats
193,500 6
632
Alfalfa Hay, production in tons 1
143,900 5
556
Total
2,442,000 2
274,824
Registered Irrigation Wells in 1998, number 12,868 -
Acres Irrigated in 1997 2,034,000 -
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service "Crops County
Data File." Website: http:// www. usda. oov/ nass/ araphics/county99 ndexdata.htm. 1999.
Livestock production in the nine - county area is summarized in Table 2.1-4. The area is home to
804,000 head of beef cattle; 327,000 head of hogs and pigs; 24,000 head of sheep and lambs, and
3,200 head of milk cows.
I Estimated from data derived from U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic
Information System, Table CA05, May 1998.
Hwd:40210R011.doc 2-4 Third Parry Impact Studv
Final Report