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• vegetation in the native landscape. Western settlers desiring to convert native rangeland to agricultural <br />ground, selected areas dominated by sagebrush because these areas contained the deeper more <br />desirable soils and more gentle slopes. <br />The incorporation of the Colorado Cooperative Company in 1894, completion of the Colorado <br />Cooperative Ditch in the early 1900's, and establishment of the Nucla community during the same period <br />were the driving forces resulting in the change from the semiarid natural vegetation types to lands <br />dedicated to irrigated agricultural production. The present landscape and land use on First Park, and <br />Second Park to the north across Tuttle Draw, reflects years of development and management for <br />irrigated hay, pasture and crop production. The irrigation system reflects the typical mountain-type flood <br />irrigation systems using gravity flow ditches, laterals, and cut-outs to insure coverage over the irregular <br />topography. Though the system is inefficient in terms of irrigation water application and is dependent on <br />large inputs of manpower, adequate water supplies, intensive efforts by managers and reuse of water by <br />downfield operators has insured adequate production on the lands. Levels of production vary greatly with <br />the amount and degree of management inputs. Deeper soils on landforms that are less steep and more <br />uniform enhance irrigation water management with consequent benefits to production. <br />Agricultural production is concentrated on irrigated hayland and pasture. Irrigated cropland, at a lesser <br />• acreage than the previous two uses, is generally devoted to the production of alfalfa and corn silage. <br />The reduced contribution of cropland to the overall acreage is a result of terrain, shallow soils, and the <br />need of a hay base for livestock. Livestock operations, both cattle and sheep, are important in the area. <br />The irrigated hayland and pasture resources provide hay base and winter feeding areas for herds that <br />are run on adfacent private, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Forest Service (USES) rangeland <br />during the spring, summer, and fall months. In years past, orchard production was important as <br />evidenced by the number of abandoned orchards remaining in the area. Irrigated haylands are primarily <br />composed of alfalfa and various complimentary grasses such as orchardgrass and smooth brome. <br />Irrigated pastures are composed of a myriad of species, both desirable and undesirable, due to irregular <br />irrigation water application, lack of periodic tillage and pasture renovation, low levels of management, and <br />overuse. Swale, bog, or riparian areas have developed in some areas as a result of irrigation water <br />runoff (irrigation tailwater). Additionally, ground water recharged from irrigation, discharges at a number <br />of downslope areas as seeps and bogs. The remaining sagebrush dominated native rangeland areas <br />generally have been included in pastures that have had intensive livestock use. This has resulted in an <br />overstory of woody species and an understory of undesirable annual and perennial weedy species. The <br />original pinyon-juniper overstory in these areas has essentially been removed. With the continued <br />• (REVISED 8/15/00) 2.D4.1 ~ - 7 <br />