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Show crop. It is an important cash crop both locally and for shipment into southern California, the world's largest hay market. Ranges are dependent on irrigated areas for con- siderable winter feed, even though some of the lower basin range is used year-long. However, invasion by cactus following overgrazing has reduced the capacity of many winter ranges so that the animals are placed on irrigated pasture. Many sheep are brought into the lower area from mountain lands and from the upper basin during late fall and lambed during early winter. The lambs are kept on the irrigated pasture until marketed in the early spring. Unquestionably as additional water is made avail- able for irrigation, there will be an expansion in pasture feeding, permitting greater integration of range and pasture use. As population in nearby States increases, the percentage of finished stock is almost certain to increase. This will probably be noticeable in the upper portion of the basin where the need is perhaps more acute than in the lower areas. In addition to the agricultural developments made possible by the large irrigation enterprises in the basin, there are many other related but much smaller water projects which will provide even greater opportunities for integrating range and ranch operations. These small units scattered throughout the basin will permit local production of feed and enable ranchers to carry stock more easily and provide for some of the excess stock which must be removed from the range. Under the Agricultural Conservation Program (ACP) of the Production and Marketing Admin- istration, subsidies are granted to farm and ranch operators to help pay the monetary cost of a variety of conservation practices on their lands. Among the practices qualifying for these payments are those related to irrigation. In 1948, this Federal contribution to irrigation, benefiting 40,864 acres on 390 farms w in the Colorado Basin States except California, was $78,204. If an annual program of irrigating about 100 acres of pasture per farm unit is maintained over a number of years in the basin, it should be of sub- stantial help in achieving better range use through integrating the pasture with range. In addition to contributions to irrigation, as- sistance is given the farmer for stock water ponds. 68 Probably 50 percent within the basin. In 1948, 1,278 farmers in the basin States built 1,685 dams and reservoirs involving 1.2 million acres of range. Similarly, 853 ranchers in these States put in 956 wells to provide more certain water supply for their ranges. Some flood irrigation of range land is carried on. Where this practice has been used it has helped in- crease forage production, especially close to the home ranch unit. It has also been used success- fully on some of the Indian Reservations and on grazing district lands. These various practices have had a stabilizing effect on the local livestock economy. Ranchers are better able to care for their stock and lands. And, because of the depleted condition of the range, they help to relieve the pressure upon it where herds are not increased. To the extent that the local resident benefits, so also does the local community. Conclusions The several water resources programs in the Colorado River Basin should bring in some addi- tional areas of new land besides providing more adequately for lands now suffering water shortages. This irrigation will greatly aid in stabilizing the range economy by providing wider opportunities for marketing livestock, by creating greater feeder possibilities, and by increasing the economic base so that the range need not be so badly abused. However, such measures should be undertaken with the understanding that they will be accom- panied by adjustment of livestock numbers to graz- ing capacities. To the extent that these programs can be spread into new areas and into the sparsely inhabited por- tions of the basin, even greater benefits will be pro- vided by permitting close integration of livestock and feeding. As yet, there is no indication as to the limits of such a program. It will be limited by the availability of water, measured in terms of the cost of delivery to scattered lands. It will also be lim- ited by the actual amount of water which can be provided in a given place. 5. Restoration of Small Irrigation Enterprises The Problem Means for aiding small project units in obtaining adequate water supplies. 911610-51- 435 |