PROJ00505

• Contract/PO #: C153419
• Contractor Name: San Miguel Water Conservancy District
• Water District: 0
• County: San Miguel
• Bill Number: XB 99-999
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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3.4 Project Land Area

Nearly all of the 10,780 presently irrigated areas in the Norwood-Redvale

area could benefit from additional storage in Cone Reservoir. A small area at

the upper end of Wright's Mesa and Upper Mailbox Park is too high to use water

stored in Cone Reservoir. Present water shortages indicate that all the

additional water stored in Cone Reservoir could be utilized on Wright's Mesa.

3.5 Crops

The crops grown on Wright' s ~!esa consist mostly of alfalfa, grass-hay and

feed grains. Some corn for silage can be grown on the lower end of the Mesa,

the major limitation being the length of the growing season. In the past,

malting barley has been grown as a cash crop but is presently not grown.

Under present conditions one cutting of alfalfa is all that is guaranteed,

with two cuttings occurring in some areas dependent on water supply. With

additional water that could be utilized in the latter part of the irrigation

season, two cuttings of alfalfa would nearly always be possible and three

cuttings possible in some areas. This would result in the production of about

1 1/2 tons of alfalfa per acre over the existing conditions. The assurance of

late season water also aids in starting new alfalfa. Many present stands are

old and need to be reseeded, but that carries a high risk due to the present

lack of late season water. Additional water will also increase yields for feed

grains by ensuring that late season water will be available.

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