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<br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Consequently, the following six agricultural classes were identified and mapped: <br /> <br />pasture <br />wet pasture <br />alfalfa <br />idle land <br />grain (small) <br />corn <br /> <br />o <br /> <br />Pasture in the classification means irrigated pasture, typically by human <br />application of surface water by flood or sprinkler methods. The class also <br /> <br />l\) <br />~ includes subirrigation from human activity or under natural conditions such as <br />IIIllo <br /> <br />~ along a river bottom. Wet pasture differs from pasture in that a surplus of <br /> <br />water during the growing ~eason leaves surface or near-surface water which <br /> <br />waterlogs the soil and typically creates wetland vegetation such as sedges and <br /> <br />marsh grasses. Such conditions often occur in local depressions in pasture or <br /> <br />even alfalfa fields. Idle land in the classification refers to land that has <br /> <br />likely been irrigated in the past but is currently receiving no, or little, <br />irrigation water and remains essentially dry and unproductive. The grain class <br />. includes barley, oats, or wheat under irrigation. No significant dry farm grains <br />were found in the area. <br /> <br />It will be shown that the basic purpose of the study, the water consumption <br /> <br />aspects of the cover types, were better served by the investigation than had all <br /> <br />ten types been identified and separated. That is, in terms of water consumption <br /> <br />there may be little value in distinguishing between pasture and cultivated or <br /> <br />native grass hay. It is more valuable to suggest variations in water use. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Wetland classification and mapping has been the principal concern to the SCS <br />in the study. The classification suggested is shown in Table 2. The nine wetland <br />classes shown are from Circular 39, Wetlands of the United States, U.S. Fish and <br />and Wildlife Service (1956). Appendix A provides additional detail on the wetland <br />classes. A new publication, Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of <br />the United States (1979), jointly prepared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, <br />U.S. Geological Survey, and U.S. National Oceonographics and Atmospheric Adminis- <br />tration, was considered carefully, but deemed by the SCS staff to be less applicable <br />-11- <br />