WSP01548 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Difficulties of Irrigation About 21,480 acres in the project area are presently irrigated, all from the La Plata River and its tributaries. The principal crops grown in the presently irrigated portions of the project area in Colorado are: wheat, 24 percent; alfalfa, 19 percent; and barley, 7 percent. According to project documents, crop yields are low, diversity is restricted, and crop failures often occur. In the presently irrigated sections of the project area in New Mexico, alfalfa is the main cash crop, accounting for 58 percent of total irrigated crops. other primary crops are: barley, 12 percent; corn silage 7 percent; oats, 3 percent; and wheat, 3 percent. About 83 percent of the irrigated land is used for crops and 17 percent for pasture or farmstead. Grazing accounts for essentially all dryland use of the project area in New Mexico. In relation to full supply of water needed for irrigation, the average annual shortage of water on presently irrigated land is estimated to be 52' on farms in the New Mexico portion of the project area, 49' in the northern part of Colorado lands, and 76' in the remainder of the Colorado portion. It should be noted that there will still be irrigation water shortages during and after the completion of the project. The lands in the Red Mesa and state line areas that have an average annual shortage of 65' without the project will have theirs decreased to 2.6'. The Thompson Park-Hesperus areas that have a 49' shortage will be reduced to 32' in Colorado and 2.5' in New Mexico. Shortages on full service lands under project conditions for both Colorado and New Mexico would average about 3%. About 52 percent of the irrigated acreage is used for crops, 30 percent is used for pasture, and 16 percent is idle or fallow. The main dryland crop in the Colorado portion of the project is pinto beans, which make up 60 percent of total dryland crop distribution; wheat accounts for 25 percent and 15 percent of the land is idle or fallow. Project irrigation water would be provided to approximately 400 existing farms in private ownership and to the two Ute Indian Tribes. All of the on-farm improvements (sprinkler systems, etc.) are to be the responsibility of the landowners, Indian and non-Indian. There is essentially no irriqated cropland on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation, but the tribe and individual Indians graze cattle on the sparsely veqetated areas. " li. '. ;~ d. ~f :.;., i: :4, ::., if ;{ 13