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<br />communities. Now, all 5 medium-sized
<br />cities, 2 communities, and 17 rural water
<br />districts receive supplemental supplies
<br />amounting to about 50,000 acre-feet of
<br />water annually.
<br />
<br />The annual gross value of project crops
<br />during recent years has averaged over $200
<br />per acre and $169 million in total value.
<br />Average annual gross electric power from
<br />1959 through 1975 was 672 million
<br />kilowatt hours. About 2 million people visit
<br />the project's reservoirs annually and,
<br />according to an economic survey by the
<br />Denver Research Institute,' recreation
<br />activities generate direct spending of nearly
<br />$5 million annually, not only locally, but
<br />Statewide.
<br />
<br />The principal asset of the C-BT Project is its
<br />provision of large quantities of good-quality
<br />water to most of the Front Range study area.
<br />This water is carried to the users through
<br />more than 100 canal systems. The exact
<br />acreage to which the supplemental project
<br />water is applied or the amount reaching the
<br />shareholder is unknown. However in the
<br />Front Range area, about 420,000 acres are
<br />capable of receiving water from the C-BT
<br />
<br />system. Nearly 300,000 acres of irrigated
<br />land in the eastern segment of the South
<br />Platte Valley receive the benefit of project
<br />return flows.
<br />
<br />
<br />LAND RESOURCES
<br />
<br />Beginning with its early settlement, the land
<br />of the Front Range has been developed for
<br />agricultural purposes. Irrigated agriculture
<br />was initiated in the late 1800's, and at
<br />present there are about 367,500,
<br />102,500, and 48,400 acres of irrigated
<br />land in Weld, Larimer, and Boulder Counties,
<br />respectively. These acreages represent
<br />about 14, 6, and 10 percent of the total
<br />lands in these counties, respectively. Table
<br />11-4 shows data on irrigated land use in the
<br />three counties.
<br />
<br />The plains adjacent to the foothills are
<br />particular!y suited for agriculture in that they
<br />are of a flat topography and have highly
<br />productive soils, particularly when served by
<br />relatively dependable irrigation water
<br />supplies. In recent years, because of the
<br />favorable climate and location, the area has
<br />been used by more and more persons for
<br />
<br /> Table 11-4.-lrrigated land use data, Larimer, Weld, and Boulder Counties'
<br /> {acresl
<br /> Total Total Irrigated I rrigated land
<br /> Total water land land (percent of total
<br />County area area area area land area)
<br />Larimer 1,689,600 16,640 1,672,960 102,480 6.1
<br />Weld 2,581,120 18,560 2,562,560 367,490 14,3
<br />Bou Ider 485,120 5,120 480,000 48,420 10.1
<br />Total 4,755,840 40,320 4,715,520 518,390 11.0
<br />
<br />I Columns 1,2, and 3 from Colorado Year Book, State Planning Division.
<br />Column 4 from Census of Agriculture, 1969, Department of Commerce.
<br />Column 5; column 4 divided by column 3.
<br />
<br />2 "En)llollli(' and Soeial Impa(:l of Heacatiofl at
<br />H(~('lalllatioll H(~scrvoirs," Denv(~r Hcscarch
<br />In:o;titulc, Unin.rsity of Denver, March 1969.
<br />
<br />11-8
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