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I 11.,.;. ~lJ ~..i,'j' -~", ,-'''i I-.;:~:I ~3J fi fl ( JI ~.. ~ l I .j -; ; i1 q, [ ri , ; ; sl' -v r-- .:7:) '<:j" CJ c:) C) At the tine the data sheets were being developed with individual farmers, fam needs other than those shCMn on Table 7 were recorded. Needs totaled for the study area include: 42,160 acres of pasture planting, 18,360 acres of rock renoval, 340 overnight storage reser- voirs, 2,500,000 feet of new permanent ditches, 15,640 acres of noxious weed control, 330,480 feet of windbreak planting. These figures were corrpared with the recently ccmpleted Conservation Needs Inventory of SCS. 'Ihey are, of course, not the sarre; but they are carparable enough to add credence to both reports. Figures fran the data sheets were chosen as teing rrore representative of what would actually be done if rost-sharing were made available for on- the-fam perfonnance of needed practices. Brush rontrol was listed by only a few farmers, but if it is decided that this offers some opportunity for water recovery or vegetation inprovement on the.chiro land of the study area, it could become a major practice. (See Study Item 10.) No cost estimate has teen made of the last listed practices because they were not considered in the study items. STUDY ITEM 12 - OUTLINE A SYSTEM AND MEI'HOD EDR IDRKING WITH FARMERS SINGLY AND IN GROUPS TO IMProvE IRRIGATICN, DRAINAGE AND WATER MANAGEMENT PRACrICES. Small grains and alfalfa are largely border i=igated. Pasture and native hay are i=igated by borders, flooding fran gradient laterals, and high water tables or subi=igation. About half of the cropland is considered to be benefited by a high water table, which is main- tained at least a part of the grONing season. The porous soils of the Valley do not readily lend themselves to efficient application of surface irrigation water unless the water is on the ground for only a short tilre. Long lengths of run and inadequate heads of water contribute to ION water application efficiencies. Large heads of water in borders applied for short periods of time result in inproved water application in these soils where the water holding capacity is ION. For example, Mr. J. G. Walker at the Colorado State University Exper:irrent Station at Center, Colorado reported that: Two borders each 33 feet wide by 1,320 feet long took 105 minutes to irrigate with 3,200 gprn and 6.17 acre-inches per acre of water was applied. One border 33 feet wide by 1,320 feet long took 30 minutes to irrigate with 3,200 gpm and 3.53 acre-inches per acre was applied. 23