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<br />sos Valley occurred. Most were gold seekers of the
<br />"Pikes Peak or Bust" gold rush. A few were successful
<br />in their seorch, however, most of them went IIbusted".
<br />Many took up farming in the Arkonsas River Yalley
<br />in support of the mining industry. Permane./"l'. set~le-
<br />ments were established and the era of Irrigation
<br />development began.
<br />
<br />The second malor development in the Yalley was
<br />the introduction of cottle. In 1862, John W. Prowers
<br />imported 100 head of cottle into the Volley. Because
<br />of his success in the cottle business, large herds were
<br />imported from Texas. By the end of October 1870,
<br />over 30,000 head of Texas cottle were in the Arkan-
<br />sas region and 10,000 were reporfed to have been
<br />driven into Pueblo in the first ten days of November,
<br />1870. The agricultural industry of the Arkansas Valley
<br />was firmly established at the start of the Twentieth
<br />Century_
<br />
<br />PHYSICAL AND ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS
<br />OF THE AREA
<br />
<br />Irrigation Development
<br />Irrigation in the Arkansas Yalley has 9.rown
<br />steadily in importance since its introduction. Available
<br />stream runoff was utilized ot the outset. But, as
<br />markets developed and irrigation farming increased,
<br />the demand for late season water could not be sup-
<br />plied by unregulated streamflow. As a result, farmer-
<br />owned mutual irrigation companies were formed.
<br />These companies constructed 15 reservoirs having a
<br />total storage copacity of 800,000 acre-feet, and ~
<br />transmountain diversion systems importing approxI-
<br />mately 50,000 acre-feet of water annually.
<br />
<br />The amount of irrigation water available in the
<br />Project area varies considerably from year to year.
<br />The average flow of the Arkansas River at Pu.ebl~
<br />is approximately 750 second-feet. The total adlUdl-
<br />cated direct flow rights on the main stem from the
<br />headwaters to the Stote line amount to 7,400 second.
<br />feet. Shortages as high as 78 percent of crop re-
<br />quirement have occured.
<br />
<br />Agricultural Products
<br />
<br />The principal crops grown in the area of the
<br />Fryingpan-Arkansas Proiect are alfalfa, corn, sor-
<br />ghum and sugar beets. Specialty crops such as onions,
<br />beans, tomatoes and melons, are grown extensively
<br />in the area. The farms within the Arksansas Volley
<br />hove a good balance between crop and livestock
<br />farming.
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<br />IRRIGATED ONIONS
<br />
<br />Climate
<br />
<br />The climate in the Praiect area ranges from sub-
<br />humid in the high mountains to semi-arid in the lower
<br />elevations. On the Western Slape in the collection
<br />area, the mean annual precipitation is 20 inches and
<br />the average temperature is 36.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
<br />This is in contrast wiTh the City of Pueblo on the
<br />Eastern Slope with a mean annual precipitation of
<br />11.67 inches and average temperature of 52 degrees
<br />Fahrenheit.
<br />
<br />The average normal precipitation throughout the
<br />fifteen County region in the Arkansas River Drainage
<br />is approximately 13.66 inches per year. It is of interest
<br />to nole what an average annual precipitation of
<br />13.66 inches mean to the Arkansas Volley. If it were
<br />possible to contain all of the average annual precipi.
<br />tation which falls in the Arkansas Yalley, and prevent
<br />any from evaporating or leaving the Yalley by
<br />streams, underground rivers, or other means, such
<br />moisture would provide a total of approximately 18
<br />million acre.feet for use in the region. Temperature
<br />and water usuage are closely related. Based upon the
<br />1963 water-use records from six communities in the
<br />Arkansas Valley, 78 percent of the total water used
<br />in the six communities was consumed during the
<br />warmer months and 22 percent during the cooler
<br />winter monfhs. The average monthly use during the
<br />warmer part of the year was 15.3 million gallons,
<br />while the cooler months averaged approximately
<br />6.2 million gallons.
<br />
<br />Evaporation is an important factor in the water
<br />resource management of 1he region. A surprising
<br />quantity of water is lost back to the atmosphere
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