WSP03340

• File Number: 8200.766
• Description: Gunnison River General
• State: CO
• Basin: Gunnison
• Water Division: 4
• Date: 11/1/1962
• Author: USDA
• Title: Water and Related Land Resources - Gunnison River Basin - Colorado
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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crops comprise lesser amounts of the irrigated acrea:;e. The principal
uses of the nonirrigated lands in the Basin are for tiI"ber production,
grazing by domestic livestock, habitat for wildlife, recreation and
mining. The Federal lands within the Basin have a grea~ potential value
for recreation and wildlife.

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From an agricultural standpoint, the Qajor water and land resource
problems are:

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1. Management of irrigation water supplies on the farm.

2. Improvement and maintenance of individual farm and group irrigation
water delivery systems.

3. Construction of additional irrigation water storage facilities.

4. Selection of suitable new lands for proposed irrigation development.

5. Farm drainage and >later disposal.

6. Improvement of watershed condition in critical range areas.

7. Adjustment in land use.

8. Local flood and erosion control.

9. Change in vegetative compositio~ or rangelands to more desirable
species through spraying, land treatment and improved management.

10. Improvement of potential timber producing lands by timber-type
restoration and tree planting.

11. Maintenance and improvement of fishing "aters and wildlife habitat.

12. Development of recreation sites to provide outdoor recreation
facilities for public benefit, provide for public safety, prevent
pollution of water supplies and to protect public and private property.

Department of Agriculture programs can be used in helping to solve some
of these problems. These programs include the cost-sharing features of
the Agricultural Conservation Program; the information and education
services of the Agricultural Extension Program; the loan features of the
Farmers Home Administration; the administration, protection and ~anage~
ment of the national forests and assistance through the cooperative forest
management program by the Forest Service; research programs of the Agri-
cultural Research Administration and Economic Research Administration and
cooperating State experiment stations; and the technical assistance
services of the Soil Conservation Service. The Watershed Protection
and Flood Prevention Act, P. L. 566, administered by the U. S. Department
of Agriculture provides another program which can be utilized to assist
people in the Gunnison River Basin and in the development of the water
and related land resources of the Basin.

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