WSP05566

• File Number: 8220.124.A
• Description: Pine River
• State: CO
• Basin: San Juan/Dolores
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 8/1/1958
• Author: USDOI Bureau of Recl
• Title: Pine River Project Extension Colorado and New Mexico: Special Report
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

SUBSTANTIATING MATERIAtS

fine-textured soils cause vertical cracking in dry soils and puddling
when wet. This lIlSkes the land. difficult to manage and the slow infil-
tration rate causes difficulty in irrigation. The areas have short,
irregular slopes with rather steep gradients. The land areas are
small and irregular in shape which would contribute to rather high
costs tor irrigation.

Class 4P.--The class 4p J.8.nds have all of the deficiencies described
for Class 3 and in addition are covered with a rather large amount
of cobble and loose rock. This rock cover would prevent cultivation,
but would not IIIll.teriaJ.ly lessen the value for pasture production.

Class 6. --The areas of class 6 land fail to meet the m1n1mum require-
ments for a higher class. The areas are either rough, steep, stony
with shale outcrops and shallow soils, or have smooth, -gently sloping
topography with fine, dense, deflocculated soils high in sodium and
practically 1m,permeable. This resulte in a difficult drainase
situation that cannot be corrected.

Of the 21,900 acres classified, 3,850 acres including oDl.y 790 acres
of class 2 and 3 land were tound to be above the potential project exten-
sion canals and were excluded f'rOJII development considerations. Prel1Jn..
inary studies det1n:l. tely Showed that these higher lands could not be
developed economically. .An additional 2,700 acres are so situated that
they could be irrigated trOJII the existing Morrison Consolidated Canal
and are owned by stockholders in that canal. With these two elim1nations
the retna1n:l.ng 15,350 acres tell into the follOwing land classes.

Class 2
Class 3
Class 4
Class 6

440 acres
3,240 acres
2,930 acres
8,740 acres

Elccept under unusual cirCUlllStanees, lands in class 4 are not con-
sidered to be arable under Bureau of ReClamation standards. Of the 3,680
acres in classes 2 and 3, 410 acres are in small isolated tracts and 170
acres were est:1ma.ted to be required for public rights-of-way, leaving
only 3,100 acres subject to consideration for project development. The
location of these 3,100 acres is shown in color on the general IIIll.p on
page 5-<i

The results of the land classification in greater detail then
explained above are tabulated on the following page.

Agricultural econOlllJl'

The farmers' ability to repay project costs was est:1ma.ted f'rOJII COIl1-
parative studies made ot anticipated cond1tions without and with develop_
ment ot the Pine River project extension. The studies were' based on

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