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<br />. <br /> <br />1''' l'~ .t') <br />3u~~ ~.-, <br /> <br />Report of the Regional Director <br /> <br />the natural basin in Colorado must be protected, Extensive <br />studies by the Bureau and by commi ttees appointed by the <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board confirm the existence of <br />a plentiful supply of water in the diversion area, The <br />studies also substantiate the conclusion that part of that <br />water can feasibly be diverted without detriment to the di- <br />version area or to other existin~ and potent~al water uses <br />on the Western Slope--even though complete future water re- <br />qtdl~ments for all possible uses cannot be foreseen for all <br />of Western Volorado, The relatively small diversions pro- <br />posed for the Initial Development--replaced in time, quan- <br />tity, and place by a reservoir near Aspen and by judicious <br />operation of the project based on the operating principles <br />hereinafter set forth--will not impair the future economic <br />growth of the Western Slope, harm present water users, or <br />create a risk in meeting the Lee Ferry obligation of the <br />Colorado River Compact. <br /> <br />Irrigation <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />18. The main agricultural part of the Eastern Slope <br />project area is in the semi~d zone of 11 to lQ inches of <br />annual precipitation. Seventy to 86 percent falls during <br />the April to October growing season, Dry farming is and <br />probably will continue to be practiced extensively. Live- <br />stock grazing on the ranges and in the forests is also an <br />extensive enterprise, However, both types of agriculture <br />require large land areas, and dry farming particularly de- <br />pends upon the vagaries of the weather. General cultivated <br />agriculture and specialty high-value crops, many of which <br />are required to stabilize the agricultural economy of the <br />area, require more water than typical dryland crops. Irri- <br />gation is the only means of providing a dependable supply. <br /> <br />19. Early irrigation in the Arkansas Valley coincided <br />wi th available stream runoff. As ready markets developed, <br />irrigation farming was expanded and a demand developed for <br />late season water which could not be supplied by unregulated <br />streamflow. Consequently, between 1890 and 1910, three res- <br />ervoirs in the headwaters area and 11 offstream reservoirs <br />below Pueblo were constructed, In 1949 the John Martin Res- <br />ervoir on the Arkansas River was completed by the Corps of <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />R <br /> <br />7 <br />