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<br /> <br />-.c ._ ,___,_, ____ _"._ <br /> <br />(map 4). In the important nood-contribUting areas!, B, and C, (map 5)~ <br />88.6, 75.8, end 90.S percents, respectively, of the surface land area <br />. were in private ownership in 1955. In addition to the surface rights, <br /> <br />1 <br />l <br />"J <br />~ <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />extensive coal and mineral rights were freq,uently owned by another party, <br /> <br />principally the Union Pacific Railroad. This railroad originally received <br /> <br />a grant of alternate sections over a considerable portion of the watershed. <br /> <br />Irrigation is important in the e:!:treme eastern tip of the Bear <br /> <br />Creek watershed. Here the acreage irrigated increased from 8,778 acres <br /> <br />in 1919 to 12,824 acres in 1929 (6). To serve these landS, 28 reservoirll <br /> <br />with a total capacity of 8,670 acre feet have bean constructed, all well <br /> <br />as 47 llliles of l!W.!n' canals, 24 Jlllles of lataraJ. canals and 8 diversion <br /> <br />, dams. The investment in irrigation lltructurell was esiliated in 1930 at <br /> <br />$859,800. In -addition to the lsnd irrigated in Bear Creek proper, <br /> <br />456,917 acres were under irrigation in 1929 along the main stem of the <br /> <br />South Platte River below its confluence with Bear Greek. Irrigation <br /> <br />structures along Bear Greek and to a lesser extent along the South Platte <br /> <br />River are subject to considerable flood damage, especially the head gates <br /> <br />and diversion dams. Canals and reservoirs are also subject to lledimentation., <br /> <br />Exclusive of recreE:.tion the mountainous portion of the watershed is <br /> <br />used principally for grazing cattle. fli th the exception of portions of <br /> <br />the Arapaho National Forest, overgrazing with the consequent reduction of <br /> <br />cover and accelerated soil erosion is typical especially in the ponderosa <br /> <br />t <br />! corporations interested primarily in summer homes or in real estate <br /> <br />pine type. Unfortunately extensive areas' are owned by non-residents snd <br /> <br />j <br />~ <br /> <br />.I <br />. <br /> <br /> <br />,speculations and as these holdings yield little immediate revenUe other <br /> <br />than that derived from grazing, both owner and lessee have n.llowed oV'er- <br /> <br />grazing. <br /> <br />- 7- <br /> <br />