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<br />" <br /> <br />'. <br /> <br />HIGHLIGIITS AND SUMMARY <br /> <br />The North Platte Irrigat~on Project was authorized <br /> <br />for construction in 1903 - one of the first under the new <br /> <br />Reclamation Act. This great project, 25 years a-build:L'1g, <br /> <br />provides irrigation service to more than 350,000 acres in <br /> <br />eastern Wyoming and western Nebraska. <br /> <br />In this valley, agriculture is the only basis <br /> <br />income producing activity. Irrigation accounted for some <br /> <br />$21 mill~on worth of crops in a recent census year. Upon <br /> <br />this solid foundation of irrigation farming rests an associ- <br /> <br />ated economy which in 1950 turned out a $91 million income <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />for valley residents. <br /> <br />" <br /> <br />During periods of economic depression and crop <br /> <br />failure, this irrigated area maintained an impressively <br /> <br />stable production, providing residents with steady incomes <br /> <br />and assimilating westward-moving persons from the driJuth <br /> <br />stricken middle-west. <br /> <br />This productive irrigated area contrasts vividly <br />with the adjacent wheat-and-cattle country: <br /> <br />,. Irrigated land out-produces dry-farmed land <br />13 times, <br /> <br />. a Ten percent of the fall'-county area is irri- <br />gated but it produces 91 percent of the <br />total income pa;yments in the area. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />.. The irrigated area and towns therein 'Support <br />27 times as ma.'1Y people and provid~ 40 times <br />the income as adjacent prairie areas of <br />equivalent size. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />1 <br />