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<br />,.' <br /> <br />O'~'7~ <br />o .,,,., . <br /> <br />the W. C. Austin Project <br /> <br />is located, had a per <br /> <br />. <br />capita retail <br /> <br />sales average <br /> <br />in which <br /> <br />of $190. This 1oI8S about the average of the four surrounding counties, and wes well <br />below the Oklahoma State average of $220. <br />By 1951, the Oklahoma State sv-erage was ()B93, but the Jackson County average <br />with 47,000 irrigated acres had climbed clear up to $1,071. Jackson County had shoYD <br />an increase of 463 percent during this l2-year period, while the State average <br />increased 305 percent. The average of the four surrounding comparable counties was <br /> <br />also well belo", Jackson County with an increase of 378 percent, <br /> <br />There ara many additional ~tatistics avaHable, but most of you who ara from <br /> <br /> <br />irrigated areas know the story of increased prodl1ction and other benefits from <br /> <br />reclamation as \lell as I do. <br /> <br />The Bubhumid belt of the l^.issouri River basin, ",hieb I have mentioned, includes <br />not only the northern tier of States lmt the !{anDes River basin IA.i8DsElll 8Zlll in <br /> <br />adjoining Nebraska. Since 194", we have completed five major multiple-purpose dams <br /> <br />and reservoirs in this basin. These will be operated in coordination with other <br /> <br />downstream reservoirs of the Army Corps of Engineers for flood control. <br /> <br />Of importance to the agricultural economy of the area is the conservation stor- <br /> <br />age function of these reservoirs. They will provide irrigation water for an ultimate <br /> <br />200,000 acres of Isnd in Colorcdo, Nebraska, and Kansas. Before this full potential <br /> <br />is realized, however, suppiy and distribution systems must be completed. <br /> <br />Already, in this vast basin, we will have completed by the close of the current <br /> <br />constrtlction season, 170 miles of canals} 125 miles of laterals, and three major <br /> <br />diversion dams. This will mean service to 40,000 acres of land "lith the opening of <br /> <br />the irrigation season next spring. <br /> <br />Let me make it clear that nowhere in the subhumid belt of the Hissouri River <br /> <br />basin do we anticipate any major crop changes from this changeover to irrigated <br /> <br />8 <br />