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<br />., <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Hells in this area are equipped wi th deep-well turbine ptmlp~ <br />pOllered mostly by relatively large, nutural-gas-f\leled industrinl engine3t <br />A few of tho plants are Diesel powered. <br /> <br />Thr~Chout tho arou where irrigation has been developed, the topo- <br />crapl,y is genernll:'l so smooth that or.J.y a small Cll,10tmt of prepD-ration is <br />necessary before the land is ready to receive water. This favorable co~t <br />sit\lD.tion does not apply to ~!ell construction. The depth of drilling com- 'I <br />bined with the size and type of equipment used brines well construction <br />coots up mnterially. <br /> <br />Irrigated Lands <br /> <br />Host of thc soils lIhere irrigation hns been developed are smooth, <br />deep, slowl)' permeable, moisture retentive, fine tex~ured soils, .~:''Picr"l of <br />those of the Hi~h Plains north of the Canndian River. <br /> <br />A few tracts have been developed oTong the drninaee ~IO-ys where <br />tIle soils are deep, pcrmenble and medium textured. <br /> <br />Mest of the irrigation develepments are located on ratl1Cr large, <br />mmer-operated ,Ihent fL,rms. The irriguted ~'creae;e avero.ges 130 acres per <br />farm and usu~lly constitutes less than 25 percent of tho cultivated acreage <br />on farms where it is practiced. <br /> <br />Project or Area Needs <br /> <br />vlith now eqtUj)llont, often free fuel, o.n DJnple w"ter supply, and <br />lands well suited for irrigation, the physical needs of irrigated Im,ds in <br />the aroa are fell. Soriously needed, hOllever, is u high value crop or crops <br />thD-t will support the investment in irrigation devolopments and the pumping <br />costs involved in their operation. <br /> <br />Pr.,2ject Economy <br /> <br />Tho irrigation t!lQt has beon developeQ was imposed an an additional <br />pro.ctice without too nmch disturbance ill the goine-crop distributien pattern. <br />Although there has been some exper:ilnento.l irrigation of native grass, the <br />major emph~sis has turned from tho original irric~tion of lIheut for gr~in <br />to the production of irrigated grain sorchum, alfalfa, and irrigated wheat <br />for posture. Inn.sT.1Uch as the practice of irrigation in this area is largely <br />in an exper:ilnental staee, not much si[;nificance can be attached to hi.storical <br />crop distribution. The sume applies to the yields that have been obtained. <br /> <br />ApproxDnately 70 percent of the lands irrigated in 1950 lias <br />planted to grain sorghum. The reminder ~ms largely. in alfulfa or wheat <br />for pasture and grain. E2lporionce to d.'-cte ~Iould suggest that, barring the <br />introduction of a crop thnt has not been tried as j,et, grain sorghum is <br />IDcely to be the irrig~ted crop of major dependence in this aren. <br /> <br />2e <br />