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<br />.' <br />I <br />I <br />II <br />II <br />I <br />. <br />I, <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I, <br />I <br />I <br />. <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />1858 <br /> <br />from April to September. <br />considered semi-arid. A <br /> <br />The project area climate is generally <br />semi-arid climate is one with average <br /> <br />annual precipitation ranging from 10 to 20 inches. The location of <br />the Ute Indian Reservation lands in relation to local mountains <br />influences the climatic conditions. Generally, as elevation <br /> <br />increases and as lands become closer to the mountains, precipitation <br /> <br />increases and temperature and the length of the frost free season <br /> <br />decrease. The types of irrigated agricultural crops that can be <br /> <br />economically produced in the project area are limited by prevailing <br />climatic conditions. <br /> <br />2.4 EXISTING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION <br /> <br />The historic cropping pattern prevalent in a particular area <br /> <br />provides insight in determining the type of crop or crops that can be <br /> <br />successfully produced on a long term basis under variable economic <br />and natural resource/climatic conditions. The crops suited to an <br />area are dictated by the influence of soil, water, and climatic <br /> <br />characteristics. <br /> <br />In an area where many crops can be grown, the <br /> <br />economics of crop production often determine the prevalent cropping <br /> <br />pattern. <br /> <br />The historic cropping pattern in the vicinity- of the Southern Ute and <br />Ute Mountain Ute Indian reservations was evaluated by tabulating <br />crop acreages in La Plata and Montezuma counties, Colorado and San <br />Juan County, New Mexico. The reservations occur in southern La <br /> <br />2- 6 <br />