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<br />nD3201 <br /> <br />- 12- <br /> <br />There were six such years in the tltenty yeaIll above the average of <br />280,000 acre-feet and fourteen below. There were eight years below 100,000 <br /> <br />acre-feet. <br /> <br />The records show only about twelve percent of the annual flows in the <br />fourth or critical period of the crop growing season. There were five years' <br />above the average of 65,000 at Kersey and fifteen below. There were eleven <br />years below 50,000 acre-feet and one of only 24,000. <br />The above proportions are approximately the same using 58 year figures. <br />The annual flows from mountain snow packs are largely unpredictable. <br />Snow course reports are interesting but the season runoff depends <br />mostly on the weather in Nay and June. <br />Theoretically at least, an annual flow at Kersey of 400,000 acre-feet .orc <br />even less l>'Oul,d be ample to supply the present acreage in the valley if it <br /> <br />could be distributed ideally throughout the year to match the needs. <br /> <br />The writer ventures a few tentative observations: <br /> <br />The main point established by the study is the small amount of water <br />actually consumed by its use and the large amounts of return flows. <br />These Ilolts increase mile by mile as the river flows toward the Nebraska: <br />line although large quantities of water are consumed by cottonwoods, willows <br />and other vegetation in the river bottom.', <br />The basic flows at Kersey circulate through the seven reservoirs and <br />thirty or more ditches serving 235,000 acres of land and, minus the evaporation: <br />and consumptive use of the crops, join the underflow back to the river. Much <br />of this residual flow develops too far down the river for use within the State..; <br />Nost of the soils of the valley are well drained and are underlaid with <br /> <br />vast deposits of Itater bearing gravel. <br /> <br />Standard irrigation practices often tend to apply more water to the cropp <br />than necessary. Much of it percolates below the root zones and eventually <br /> <br />back to the river. \~en available many farmers use too much water. <br /> <br />""- J;;,i '4 ,.,<. <br /> <br />",~",C/.", ,\".iL,,< /', <br />.,"""-,__~-lI:_,>_",.~~~,,,-,>&~.a~~,~ti; <br /> <br />.i. _ <br /> <br />,~- <br /> <br />