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<br />Not included in the acreages is saline and alkaline soi Is with a <br />secondary problem of excess water and lands having drainage problems <br />resulting from Irrigation. <br /> <br />About 1,335,000 acres in land capabi lity classes V, VI and VI I I <br />have an excess water problem. Nearly 430,000 acres are frequently flooded <br />bottom lands. Of the remaining, about 50,000 acres are cropland and <br />730,000 acres are grassland. These lands should be returned to, or <br />remain In permanent vegetation. <br /> <br />The primary purpose of drainage Is to Increase crop production and <br />lower net production costs. Measures to dispose of excess surface water <br />Include land forming to eliminate pockets and depressions, and lateral <br />ditches installed at regularly spaced intervals. Ti Ie drains are the <br />most common measures used for subsurface drainage. Both types of drains <br />require outlets into deeper channels or water courses. Development of <br />main drainage channels usually requires group or project-type action. <br /> <br />The 1967 Watershed Project Inventory made by the Soi I Conservation <br />Service identifies about 1,800,000 acres of land in 300 watersheds that <br />have drainage problems. This acreage is shown by basins In Table 22. <br />Not included In this acreage are the wetlands in the Sandhi I Is area. <br />About 830,000 acres in 124 watersheds require project-type action to <br />instal I outlets for on-farm measures. It Is estimated that nearly <br />$12,000,000 of annual income Is foregone by the operators because <br />drainage measures have not been Installed on about 670,000 acres of <br />cropland. The watersheds containing 1,000 acres or more of land needing <br />project-type measures to correct drainage problems are shown on Map 2. <br />Attachment 3 Includes a detai led summary of drainage needs by watershed <br />areas. <br /> <br />Future Needs <br /> <br />The drainage problem is not expected to Increase except In areas <br />under Irrigation. Where this problem develops, It would be considered <br />a part of the irrigation development. <br /> <br />The Installation of drainage measures on wetlands should presently <br />be limited to about 586,000 acres of cropland where the efficiency of <br />crop production can be Improved. Slightly over 1,000,000 acres of <br />pasture, range, and forest use In land capability classes II and III, <br />with drainage, could be converted to cropland If crop production from <br />these areas Is needed to supply the demands for food and fiber. This <br />situation, however, Is unlikely in the foreseeable future. <br /> <br />49 <br />