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<br /> <br />. <br /> <br />TRANSMITTAL <br /> <br />Basin Compact of 1948 and remaining for use of the State after development <br />of its authorized projects and other projects likely to be developed prior <br />to the San Miguel project. <br /> <br />Size of Farm Units <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Successful farms in single ownership in the San Miguel project are <br />considered to be those that would return to the farm family a living al- <br />lowance of from $4,800 to $5,000 annually. In the Paradox area of the <br />project such farms would require about 140 acres of class 1 land, 155 <br />acres of class 2 land, or 185 acres of class 3 land. In all other areas <br />of the project which have shorter growing seasons than the Paradox area, <br />successful farms would require an average of 180 acres of class 2 land or <br />225 acres of class 3 land. Less than 1,000 acres of class 1 land exists <br />in these other areas. Thus, in much of the project area farms would re- <br />quire more than 160 acres which is the maximum acreage in single ownership <br />permitted to receive project water under reclamation law. Farms of the <br />required acreage on class 3 land in the Paradox area and on class 2 and 3 <br />land in other areas are considered to be the equivalent to farms of about <br />155 acres of class 1 land on the Dallas Creek project, another potential <br />reclamation project in southwestern Colorado that is being recommended for <br />construction by the Bureau of Reclamation. In order for adequately sized <br />farm units to be served project water, special legislation would be re- <br />quired permitting the equivalent of 160 acres of class 1 land to be ap- <br />plied to lower quality lands where necessary for a successful farm in the <br />determination of acreages eligible to receive project water. <br /> <br />Settlement Opportunities <br /> <br />The project is expected to provide opportunities for the settlement <br />of between 75 and 125 family-size farm units. Approximately 5,000 acres <br />of the land available for settlement is on the public domain, and about <br />10,000 acres is privately owned and presently used for dry range grazing. <br />The irrigable area also includes about 4,000 acres of public land that is <br />so located that it could be incorporated into existing farms. The owners <br />of large land holdings have generally expressed a willingness to dispose <br />of their excess lands as necessary to assure project development. <br /> <br /> <br />Costs and Repayment <br /> <br />Project construction costs are estimated at $67,815,000 and operation, <br />maintenance, and replacement costs at an ,"verage of $185,000 annually. <br />The costs have been allocated to all project purposes. The reimbursable <br />costs would include those allocated to irrigation, municipal and indus- <br />trial use, and a portion of the costs for recreation and fish and wild- <br />. life enhancement as specified in Public Law 89-72. The remaining costs <br /> <br />3 <br />