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001671 Under such conditions,only the older.water rights have anyassur- ance of an adequate water supply, and in the drier years the O~l!lers of junior rights are forced to confine their farming to crops that can be matured by the early flood flow or that require a minimum amount of water. In years when the supply is not correctly estimated, considerable loss results. Ordinarily the crops raised in this and other irrigated areas do not compete with those grown under rainfall conditions, but a shortage of water al wayc 1ead.s to the raising of more of the competi ti ve crops. Such crops also cut the income of the irrigation farmer below what he can earn with the higher type, noncompetitive crops. Many thousands of acres of rich, fertile land located in the Arkansas Valley are suitable for intensive irrigation. Of the 409,600 acres of irrigated land which have been classified in the Arkansas Valley, only 15,&00 acres were found unsuitable for irrigation. The remaining 394,000 acres are generally of good q,uality and topography. Surface and subsurface drainage is good. This land could become some of the most productive in the State of Colorado, if the necessBr,r water were made available. Present irrigation storage facilities are not adequate for the 'v~ "'\" ..J.',./ effective conservation or digposal of,large nondivertible runoffs. / 1.\ The erratic occurrence of flood flows precludes the provision of such storage facilities except in conjunotion with more dependable water supplies. The base flow of every stream in the Eastern Slope area is overappropriated. Control of the Arkansas River with reasonable hold- over storage is necessary to provide part of the water needed to fully ;\~ _~,,",..l 7r"":"'~"; .."'-""~ ditches. 1hs A 14, irri6ate lands now inadequately eupplied from existing 21 -,~...:',.;.~,. ,...,..,.-- .'