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• For the Progresso series (map unit 30C), the following values may be attainable under a high <br />level of management (irrigated): corn silage 18 tons/acre, alfalfa - 5 tons/acre, grass hay - 4 <br />tons/acre, oats 70 bushels/acre, and barley - 110 bushels/acre. Interviews during 1987 with <br />the operator managing the cropland areas indicated that the actual yields are much lower. It <br />was estimated by this operator that corn silage production was 13 tons/acre, barley was 60 <br />bushels/acre, with wheat as high as 30 bushels/acre; all values indicating a lower level of <br />management applied or reflecting poorer site conditions than what the soil survey indicates, or <br />a .combination of both. Observations of the condition of these cropland fields during 1987 <br />support the contention that these lands receive only an average level of management at best. <br />The cropland areas in the western portion of the permit area have been managed by Mr. Frank <br />Morgan for approximately 20 years (personal communication, August 1988). During that <br />period he has not managed for any yield level, has not maintained any formal data on yields, <br />and has many times used the lands for grazing and haying of annual grains. The lands have <br />also been (allowed periodically. Recent examples are the fallow condition of the fields in 1987 <br />and the last minute decision to graze seeded annual grains by sheep in 1988. The Agricultural <br />Stabilization and Conservation Service (ABCs) office in Montrose, Colorado has no historic <br />farm based yield numbers for the cropland fields within the permit area (personal <br />communication, ASCS office August 1988). <br />Mr. Morgan estimated that the cropland within the western portion of the permit area yields <br />about 60 bushels per acre for barley and 20-25 bushels per acre for winter wheat. Mr. Zene <br />Weimer, one of the better farm operators in the Nucla area, was contacted because of his <br />familiarity with the lands in question (personal communication, August 1988). Surprisingly, his <br />independent estimate of yields for the cropland area in the permit area was similar to Morgans. <br />An estimate of potential grass hay production may be gained from evaluation of the hay fields <br />just north of the cropland areas within the permit area (discussed earlier in this section). These <br />hay fields have similar site conditions and soils as the cropland areas, the majority being <br />mostly Progresso complex soils (Map Unit 30C). The hayland north of the cropland in the <br />permit area is dominated by grasses. Table 2-5 in Peabody Appendix 10-2 shows estimated <br />hay yields for these fields to be 1,168 pounds/acre. Since soils and site conditions are <br />identical for the two areas, this yield must be the potential for the areas identified as cropland <br />(REVISED 9/99) 2.04.10 - 51 <br />