| OCR Text |
Show supplied by additional pumping. The mild winter and long growing season permitted the planting of an additional 38,000 acres of small grains and sorghum, which would account for approximately 105,000 acre-feet (based on Blarney-Harris Consumptive Use, plus 25 percent losses). The 40,000 acre-foot increase outside of the restricted area is probably due to new lands brought into cultivation in the Waterman Wash, Harquahala Plains and Gila Bend areas. The balance of the increased pumping-157,000 acre-feet-which represents 7.4 percent of the 1952 pumpage, might be attributed to one or more additional irrigations necessitated by the deficiency in rainfall during 1953. The annual rainfall in Phoenix for the year was only 40 percent of normal. In Pinal County surface water diversions were 170,000 acre-feet less in 1953 than in 1952, and 100,000 acre-feet of this amount was replaced by additional pumping by the San Carlos Project. Using the same percentage attributed to deficiency in rainfall as was obtained in the Maricopa County analysis, an additional 70,000 acre-feet could be accounted for. Of the remaining 280,000 acre-feet of additional pumping, some might be attributed to double cropping, but the large majority was caused by new lands being brought into cultivation. The rainfall for the year 1953 in Casa Grande was 50 percent of the normal. In Pima County precipitation at Tucson was 6.47 inches for 1953, which was 60 percent of normal, and some 12,000 acre-feet of additional pumping could be |
