WSP07190

• File Number: 8220.124.A
• Description: Pine River
• State: CO
• Basin: San Juan/Dolores
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 1/1/1942
• Title: Preliminary Investigation Proposed Pine River Irrigation Project: Preliminary Report
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

Present Population and Economic Status

There are 49 farm families within the proposed project area. Thirty-six

of these are found in the more developed, partly irrigated northern part

of the area. All but one or two of these have at least some land that

receives some irrigation. In the southern part of the area are 13 op-

erators who are by necessity dry-land farmers on inadequate areas, sinee

they have no water.

Of the 36 farmers in the northern part of the area about half are owners

and about half are tenants. The operating units average 400 acres for

both tenants and owner-operators and about 20 per oent of the average

unit receives some irrigation, the degree depending upon the seniority

Qf water right and advantage of location on the ditch. About 10 per cent

'of the farmers in this northern partly developed area are Spanish-Am.eriean.

and their agrioultural eoonom.v is based prinoipally on sheep. MOST of

the farmers in this area, however, depend upon a more diversified livestook-

feed orop eoonom.v, including dairy oattle or stook oattle or both. hogs,

farm flooks of sheep, or sometimes range sheep, scantily irrigated alfalfa,

partly irrigated pasture and usually wheat for a oash orop. About 30 per

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oent of the farmers are in fair circumstanoes and some 35 per oent are in

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aoute distress. The other 35 per oent are barely getting by. There are

three limiting faotors that oontribute to farmer-distress in this area.

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Regular market outlets for oash crops are limited to wheat and, other small

grains, and to an even more limited extent beans and oorn and these are

sold only on disadvantageous freight rates. The looal buyer-middleman