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<br />- 15 - <br /> <br />When completed, the Navajo Recreation Area around the Navajo <br />Reservoir on the San Juan River is expected to have some 600,000 <br />visitor-days per year use. The Arboles site portion of this <br />recreation area lies partly within the southeast part of the <br />watershed. It is operated by the Colorado Game, Fish, and Parks <br />Department, and is expected to have a large share. of the visitor- <br />day use. <br /> <br />BASIS FOR PROJECT FORMULATION <br /> <br />The primary project objective is to formulate a combination of <br />land treatment and structural measures that will most economically <br />provide solutions to the principal watershed problems. These will <br />include: (1) installation of needed land treatment measures on <br />both irrigated and nonirrigated lands to reduce sediment and erosion <br />damages and to obtain a more efficient use of irrigation water <br />through improved water management on individual farms and ranches, <br />(2) installation of feasible floodwater-retarding structures, <br />(3) development of a program of water management by the water <br />carriers and individuals that will reduce water uses to actual <br />demands of the crops, (4) rehabilitation of the main canal system <br />in order to reduce water losses and provide. a more efficient dis- <br />tribution of water, and (5) improvement of irrigation laterals <br />serving small groups of farmers. <br /> <br />Landowners and operators agreed that improvement would be <br />made in the management of the farm and ranch units and the canal <br />systems that would (1) improve farm incomes, (2) continue deSirable <br />land use and achieve balance in the production of crops and feeds <br />for local consumption, (3) improve soil and water conservation in <br />the watershed, and (4) apply and develop on farm and on the water <br />delivery system, an improved program of delivery, application, and <br />use of irrigation water. <br /> <br />A survey was made to secure information on (1) land use, <br />(2) crop production costs. and yields, (3) amounts and kinds of land <br />treatment measures applied and to be applied, (4) future plans for <br />farm and ranch operation with and without the project, (5) flood- <br />water and sediment damages, and (6) whether a full.or partial <br />water supply was available with present cropping system. No change <br />in cropping was indicated by this survey. Federal land- <br />administering agencies agreed to develop programs for the conserva- <br />tion and use of the watershed lands. <br />