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<br />General DescrIption <br /> <br />The florIda project Is 10 cated In the San Juan Basin, southeastern <br />La Plata County, Colorado. Elevation of the majori ty of project lands <br />varies from 6,500 to 7,000 feet. The climate Is semiarid. Average <br />annual precipitation Is about 17 inches. The average frost-free period <br />is about 112 days. <br /> <br />With the exception of 1,000 acres of Indian land, and a small amount of <br />state land, project lands are privately owned. <br /> <br />Agrl cuI ture I s the basi c Industry of the project area. Livestock production <br />I s the predominant type of farming. <br /> <br />Proposed Project Development <br /> <br />The Florida project will provide irrigation water for 5,730 acres of <br />nonlrrigated land and supplemental irrigation water for 13,720 acres of <br />presently irrigated land. The project plan proposes the construction of <br />Lemon Dam and Reservoir on the Florida River. The reservoir will so regu- <br />late the river that late-season flows will be supplemented with stored <br />water and thereby furnish an adequate Irrigation water supply in most years. <br />The reservoir will have a capacity of 40,300 acre-feet, including 39,000 <br />acre-feet of active capacity for irrIgation and 1,300 acre-feet of Inactive <br />capacity for sediment, fish and wildlife. <br /> <br />Evaluation of Expected Direct A~ricultural Benefits <br />Evaluation Areas <br /> <br />For purposes of the analysis, project lands were grouped Into evaluation <br />areas. The soils, climate and water supply within each evaluation area <br />reflect similar crop adaptations, productivi ty, land and Irrigation develop- <br />ment and production a:>sts. Farm incomes and dIrect agricultural benefIts <br />were determined for each area and the project as a whole. <br /> <br />Evaluation area A Includes 5,430 acres of presently irrigated lands and <br />1,590 acres of nonirrigated lands. These lands occur generally In a long <br />strip extending north and south on Florida Mesa. Some evaluation area A <br />lands are interspersed wi th lands of evaluation areasB and C. Slopes are <br />generally three percent or less. <br /> <br />Evaluation area B includes 6,255 acres of presently irrigated lands and <br />3,565 acres of nonirrigated lands. These lands are located on Florida Mesa <br />and have the same general characteri sti cs of evaluation area A lands but <br />have steeper slopes which range from 3 to 6 percent. <br /> <br />Evaluation area C includes 845 acres of presently Irrigated lands and 575 <br />acres of nonlrrigated lands. These lands are interspersed with lands in <br />evaluation areas A and B. They generally have steeper slopes and will <br />require more careful management than areas A and B. <br /> <br />i i <br />