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� <br />� <br />' <br />' <br />' <br />' <br />' <br />' <br />1 <br />r , <br />I ' <br />' <br />, 1 <br />' <br />1 <br />' <br />, <br />t <br />i 1 <br />Land Use <br />Irrigation begins in the latter hal£ of Iiay &, therefore, after <br />the largest spring runoff flows have passed. In an effort�to make full <br />use of the caater while it lasts, all the water possible is anplied to <br />the ground in an attempt to saturate the soil. There is seldom <br />sufficient water to supply the full irrigation demands in late <br />July and never enough for a full supoly for the month of August. <br />In dry years, the ranches having low priorities may fail to <br />produce a harvestable crop. With the livestock industry generally <br />operating on a very close margin, the loss of one hay crop, because <br />of drought, can be the deciding factor in forcing a small operator <br />out of business. This situation has been alleviated to some extent <br />in the Yampa area by the construction of Stillwater Reservoir which <br />supplies late season irrigation water. This development has been <br />highly successful as far as it goes but is inadequate to meet the <br />need for supplemental water to the entire area. <br />Agriculture in the project area is devoted to range live- <br />stock operations and to raising hay. Irrigated lands within the <br />project are used to produce feed and forage during the period <br />when range lands are not usable. Generally, stock are kept on <br />natural grass pasture from the latter part of May to the end of <br />September. They are pastured on hay meadocas during the months of <br />October, November and May and are fed hay produced on the meadows <br />through the months of December to May. Calves are born in April <br />and May and are sold as feeders in Noveinber and December. The <br />nutrients contained in native grasses, cool summer temperatures <br />and good quality water combine to produce premium quality livestock. <br />Many purebred cattle are raised in the area and sold for breeding <br />purposes. <br />Meadow hay, consisting of a mixture of various grasses, clover <br />and some alfalfa is a principal cron raise�3 in the project area. One <br />cutting of hay is produced per year with yields ranging from 0.5 <br />tons to as much as 3 tons per acre depending on soil and drainage <br />characteristics, irrigation water availability, fertilizers applied, <br />and management techniques. Experiments carried out by the e:cten- <br />�ion division of Colorado State University during the summer of <br />1966 on typical meadow plots in the project area showed yields <br />III - 5 <br />� -- - <br />