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<br />The ASA is predomonately agriculture oriented with crop production--primarily <br /> <br />small grains--being the principal enterprise. Livestock production is an important <br /> <br />a <br /> <br />r", adjunct to the agricultural industry. The area is arid to semi-arid with annual <br />~ <br />~ rainfall averaging from 15" in the west to 32" in the east. Irrigation is <br />c:.":l <br /> <br />~ extensively practiced, with the heaviest concentrations being in the extreme <br /> <br />western portion of the ASA. In excess of 1.5 million acres is under irrigation. <br /> <br />The major source of irrigation water is from groundwater which underlies the <br /> <br />western and north-central portion of the ASA. The entire ASA has an extensive <br /> <br />petroleum industry and, in the southwestern portion, extensive and very large <br /> <br />natural gas fields, Surface flows are generally confined to the eastern half of <br /> <br />the area and the quality of such flows ranges from poor to excellent. <br /> <br />The area is predominately urban with the metropolitan area of Wichita dominating <br /> <br />the growth pattern. Total population in the ASA in 1970 was 1,039,651 of which <br /> <br />778,591 <br /> <br />is urban. Projected population for the area is expected to be about <br /> <br />1,250,000 <br /> <br />in 2000 and 1,450,000 by 2020. <br /> <br />The urban pattern is expected to continue to dominate with the major areas of <br /> <br />Wichita, Hutchinson, Garden City in Kansas and Enid, Ponca City, and Stillwater in <br /> <br />Oklahoma showing a gradual increase. The area will still remain basically <br /> <br />agricultural with a continued growth in irrigation. Mineral resources are expected <br /> <br />to continue their downward trend particularly in the petroleum industry. Some <br /> <br />decline may be expected in the production of natural gas which in turn, may have <br /> <br />some effect in the associated user industries. <br /> <br />Problem Identification <br /> <br />The basic problems of the ASA can be classified in four general broad categories: <br /> <br />1, Watershed protection <br /> <br />2, Land management <br /> <br />3. Flood damages <br /> <br />4. Water management <br /> <br />32, <br />