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<br />surface <br /> <br />- <br />OJ-"''''''''' . <br />. (, '-. <br />l ,,~.. . .. . <br />storage reservo~rs, by t~~ckl~ng down ~nto <br /> <br />the <br /> <br />grot <br /> <br />water reservoirs, <br /> <br />it can be useful all the way downstream br controll~ releases. <br /> <br /> <br />This is ~1hy \le are constantly seekinf, major upstream storage sites and, at the <br /> <br /> <br />same time, heartily endorse small reservoir construct::.on and range managE![lent efforts <br /> <br /> <br />to protect our high watersheds. Here too, as State engineers, you can exercise a <br /> <br />strong influence for water conservation. <br /> <br />One of the most interesting and worthwhile developments in reclamation in the <br /> <br />next decade will be the extension of irrigation facilities into the subhumid lands <br /> <br />of the Missouri River basin. We are getting a good demonstration this summer of the <br /> <br />need for this extension, Bec~use o~ unprecedented drought, irrigation l0/0uld have <br /> <br />been a real lifesaver to thousands of acres in the ~ubhumid belt of the Missouri <br /> <br />River Basin area this year. However, even in nOI-mal water years, a small amount of <br /> <br />irrigation curing the growing season will greatly ::.ncrease crop yield. It is worthy <br /> <br />of note that most of these units will need the assi~tance of support ~rom power <br /> <br />revenue to be feasible. <br /> <br />Some idea of the benefits whi~~ may be expected frcm irrigated acreage in the <br /> <br />subhumid area may be obtained from the H. C. Austin Project at Altus, Oklahoma, which <br />has been in operation since 1946. <br /> <br />On three representative crops of the area, cotton lint, alfalfa hay, and grain <br /> <br />eorghums, the production on nonirrigated land during a year of normal precipitation, <br /> <br />approached but did not equal that of the 47,000 acres of irrigated land. However, <br /> <br />in the low-water years of 1951-52, the produ~tion of ~otton from the irrigated land <br /> <br />tripled that of nonirr:1ga+,E;d land, alfalfa produc.tion \las double, and the production <br /> <br />of grain sorghums from the irrigated acreage was about two and a half times as great. <br /> <br />The effect of an irrigated agricultural economy on retail trade was demonstrated <br /> <br />111 a surveyll!lde ill 1h1B IIrElB IIlso. In 1939, h1tore 6l:a..-t ot irrl.~~ J aclrson County, <br /> <br />7 <br />