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<br />000182 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />CHAPTER III <br /> <br />ARABLE LANDS <br /> <br />predominantly deep, sandy loams and loamy sands and have good permea- <br />bility, restricted available moisture capacity, and low saline-sodic <br />content. With sufficient irrigation water and fertilizers they are mod- <br />erately or highly productive. The long growing season is favorable to <br />the production of a wide range of diversified crops. The Wilson and <br />South Mesa lands lie high above the valley on the west slope of the La <br />Sal Mountains. Mesa soils are medium to fine textured, high in organic <br />matter, and are almost free of salt and alkali. The short growing sea- <br />son on the mesas restricts crops to alfalfa, small grains, pasture, and <br />other livestock feeds. <br /> <br />The deep, permeable valley soils have a high irrigation water re- <br />quirement. Much 'of any new irrigation water applied to the land would <br />seep into the gravel substrata and move down the valley toward the Colo- <br />rado Eiver. At locations where the ground water movement would be im- <br />peded, waterlogging would result, creating a major requirement for <br />drainage. This situation would be likely to occur in the lower reaches <br />of Spanish Valley and in Moab Valley. Drainage conditions on mesa lands <br />have not been appraised. <br /> <br />Lisbon Valley ftrea <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Included in the Lisbon Valley Area are lands (1) in Lisbon and Big <br />Indian Valleys, (2) on the southern foot slopes of the La Sal Mountains <br />near La Sal and Old La Sal, Utah, and (3) on Wray, Middle, and Island <br />Mesas. The valleys include about 4,700 acres of arable land and the re- <br />mainder of the area, about 26,400 acres, is on the foot slopes and mesas. <br />Land elevations range from 6,000 to 7,500 feet. <br /> <br />Valley lands have deep alluvial soils derived from sandstone and <br />some shale materials. The soils, located mostly on moderately sloping <br />fans, are coarse to medium textured and are low in salt and alkali. <br />other lands of the area have medium-textured soils that are underlain <br />at moderate depths by sandstone or occasionally by cobble on the lower <br />slopes of the La Sal Mountains. Arable lands of the area would have a <br />moderate to low drainage requirement under full irrigation. <br /> <br />Dry Valley Ju'ea <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The Dry Valley Area is located west of the Lisbon Valley Area. <br />Elevations range from 5,500 to 6,500 feet. Soils are moderately shallow <br />over massive, crossbedded Jurassic sandstone, which is exposed in many <br />places. On alluvial fans the soils are mostly coarse textured, and on <br />narrow flood plains of Hatch and East Canyon washes soils are medium to <br />fine textured. The lands are quite free of salt and alkali except for <br />accumulations along these washes. The undulating surface has reculted <br />partly from wind action. Most of the arable lands would require <br /> <br />27 <br />