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<br />3. <br /> <br />APpro:{im"tel~,ooo irrig3ted acres of 13nd i!ide <br /> <br />the joint use pool <br /> <br />will be removed from production, and therefore the permanent loss of the <br /> <br />dryland value of this land will be an adverse effect to agriculture. This <br /> <br />~s so because the water will be available for use elsewhere. <br /> <br />4. Approximately 9,000 irrigated acres of land lies between the joint use <br /> <br />pool line and the take line. Much of this land is expected to be share- <br /> <br />cropped, and thus not re~oved from agricultural production. If this land <br /> <br />is used for other purposes, the water will be available for use elsewhere, <br /> <br />potentially for agriculture. Thus the loss is limited to the dry land <br /> <br />value of irrigated land whose water is transferred. <br /> <br />5. Additional acres are likely to be affected. The Bureau acknowledges <br /> <br />this, but provides no estimates. It was beyond the scope of our review <br /> <br />to ascertain whether the Regional Landowners Croup estimate of 6,000 acres <br /> <br />is realistic. Of this amount the Bureau and the Regional Landowners <br /> <br />representatives agree that approximately 640 irrigated acres are likely to <br /> <br />change to nonirrigated status as a result of the project. The magnitude of <br /> <br />the loss of additional agricultural lands to recreation, rural subdivisions, <br /> <br />etc., was not estimated. However, this depends to a great extent upon <br /> <br />effective state and local policies for the preservation of such lands. <br /> <br />Will the Anticipated Agricultural Benefits Exceed Costs and Other Effects Adverse <br />To Agriculture? <br /> <br />As stated earlier, estimates for project water deliverable to the farm headgate <br /> <br />or available as replacement water for irrigation pump wells are as follows: 70,000 <br /> <br />to 100,000 acre-feet from the individual farm perspective, and 100,000 to 130,000 <br /> <br />acre-feet from a regional perspective. From these estimates, we conclude that <br /> <br />average annual net irrigation benefits to Colorado for the Narrows Project are <br /> <br />between four million and six and a half million dollars from the individual farm <br /> <br />perspective, and six and a half million to nine million dollars from the regional <br /> <br />perspective. <br /> <br />- 4 - <br />