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The J & ~ . Hughes Ditch is a privately owned canal which diverts water from Fall Creek, Specie Creek and Saltado Cr ek, and conveys the irrigation supplies to high elevation pastureland on the southern portion of Beaver Me a. The ditch is also known locally as the Lake Creek Ditch. The J & N i Hughes Ditch diversions start with the spring funoff, The maximum amount of flow carried in the ditch is co holled by wasteways located down the ditch froin each tributary intercepted. There is no storage in the system. Ex!st!n" r 'onn!n" Pattern The existin , major ditch systems and availability of irrigatiop water supplies have been factors in establishing the cropping p tern which presently exists in the area. The estitjtated existing cropping pattern displayed in Table IV- 1 was com 'Ied from information provided by the major ditch companies during interviews in January 1987, data furnished b the County Extension Agent in September 1987, and trends observed between these data and prior cropping e ,imates, The predominance of grass hay/pasture reflects both the traditional livestock orientation of the area a the fact that crops are generally limited to tliose that can provide a satisfactory yield despite late , . season wat r shortages. Approximately two-thirds of the gr~ss hay/pasture is estimated to be marginally irrigated. It is harves : d for hay and then grazed in years when water i~ available. It serves as dry grazing land without a hay harvest in ater-short years, Cash crops pose a higher risk ,here than in areas of comparable climatic conditions which have more reliable water supplies, TABLE IV-I EXISTING CROPPING PATrERN Estimated Percent and (Acres) of!Service Area in Each Crop Q:!l! Norwood-Redyale Lilvlands-Drv Creek Gr ss HaylPasture 80% (9,89Q) 8% (990): 86% (1.320) 2% (40) 12% (180) Alitlfa , Sp IIlng Grains Sil ge Corn i I 10% (1,230) 2% (250): Totals 100% (12,3~0) 100% (1,540) i IV-3 . I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I