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<br />Most of the farms are dairy, beef, general and cash crop. Similar type <br />farms are expected to prevail with the development of the project. Range <br />rights on adjoining federal lands are fully allotted and no additional <br />grazing permi ts wi 11 be available for new farms developed by the project. <br /> <br />Industrial Development <br /> <br />In addition to agriculture, a number of other industries help to support <br />the local economy. Exploration and production of oil, natural gas, uranium <br />and vanadium have flourished in the last few years. These industries are <br />expected to become increasingly important to the economy of the area in the <br />future. Because of this extensive activity, the population has increased <br />considerably since 1950. This activity has not affected the farm population <br />in the project area except for improved trading facilities and greater <br />opportuni ty for outside employment. <br /> <br />Coal mining and lumbering are also important industries. During the summer <br />and fall months the surrounding scenery, streams, lakes and forests, combined <br />with fishing, hunting and sight-seeing are enjoyed by thousands of tourists. <br /> <br />General <br /> <br />Durango is the trade center of the area. It has an estimated 1959 popula- <br />tion of 12,000. The principal means of shipping products to and from the <br />project area is by truck. U.S. Highway No. 160 traverses the area east and <br />west, and U.S. Highway No. 550 runs north and south connecting Durango with <br />trading centers outside of the San Juan Basin. A narrow gage line of the <br />Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad connects Durango with standard gage <br />connections at Alamos!!, Colorado. Brl!l!lch lines also connect Durango wi th <br />Silverton and Farmington. Frontier Airlines provides passenger and com- <br />merci a1 ai r fre i ght servi ce to Sal t Lake Ci ty, Denver and Albuquerque. <br />Electricity is provided within the project area by the La Plata Rural <br />Electrification Administration Cooperative. <br /> <br />Proposed Development <br /> <br />The Florida project proposes the construction of Lemon Dam on the Florida <br />River, enlargement and extension of the Florida Farmers Ditch, and con- <br />struction of other distribution facilities. Lemon Reservoir, formed by <br />the dam, would have a capacity of 40,300 acre-feet, including 39,000 acre- <br />feet of activity capacity for irrigation and 1,300 acre-feet of inactive <br />capaci ty for sediment, fi sh and wild! ife. The reservo ir would reduce flood <br />flows along the river course and control the small quantities of silt in <br />the ri ver. <br /> <br />Storage and direct flow water would be available wi th the project for 19,450 <br />acres of land, of which 13,720 acres are presently irrigated with a partial <br />water supply and 5,730 acres are nonirrigated. In addition, approximately <br />1,710 acres of nonproject land will continue to receive their present water <br />supplies. <br /> <br />With the proposed development, farming in the project area is expected to <br />be similar to other areas in the San Juan Hi ver Basin of Colorado and New <br />Mexico where adequate irrigation water is available. Most of the land is <br />expected to be used to produce crops for livestock feed. <br />- 3 - <br />