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<br />;~{d(~j <br />,,' <br /> <br />~;~) <br /> <br />gardens and shrubs for about 18,000 people in the valley beyond the reach of <br /> <br />~ <br />N <br />~ <br />--J <br /> <br />city water mains. The annual growing season is between 180 and 200 days <br /> <br />(the longest in the State of Colorado), permitting the production of a wide <br /> <br />variety of grain and forage crops as well as fruits, vegetabL3S and sugar beets. <br /> <br />Per acre crop yields rank among the highest in the State, with the 1973 gross <br /> <br />crop value in the Grand Valley in 1973 of approxi!1lately $19 million. Studies <br /> <br />by Color'ido State UniversttJ'* and others have shown that each dollar value of <br /> <br />increased crop production generates $7 and $8 in new business activity in <br /> <br />loc'il, state and national levels. The efforts of the typical Grand Valley <br /> <br />irrigation farmer create crop values of about $300 per acre in a good year, <br /> <br />resulting in approximately $2400 per year of increased business activity on his <br /> <br />efforts. His proflt is about $30 per acre. In addition he provides free of charge <br /> <br />the "Green Belts" so highly prized by urban communities. <br /> <br />It is the primary duty of the water organizations to provide the best <br /> <br />water service possible at the least possibly cost to the water users. These <br /> <br />water organizations in,the Grand Valley have met this challenge well and <br /> <br />responsibility for many years. For an annual cost to the water user that <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />ranges between $5 and $1-1 per irrigated acre (depending on the system, the <br /> <br />year and the crops grown), these water organizations have continued to meet <br /> <br />their water supply obligations with only infrequent interruptions for the last <br /> <br />50 years and the systems have been operated and upgraded continuously on <br /> <br />a fiscally sound basis. <br /> <br />-2- <br /> <br />*Impact of Agricultural Change on a Local Economy in the Great Plains, <br /> <br />Technical Bulletin, 106, Colorado State University Experiment Station, <br />October 1 969 <br />