OCR Text |
Show The soils are derived from alluvium and have developed under a desert or arid to semi- arid climate. They are soils without well- developed profile characteristics owing to their youth, conditions of parent material, or relief. Most soils of the area are light- colored, usually calcareous and in a virgin condition, containing appreciable amounts of soluble salts. To determine the chemical characteristics of these soils 121,582 tests were conducted on samples taken in the area. The results of these tests indicate that all Unit lands would be well within the chemical limits for arable lands and the full- service land could be reclaimed and would be as productive as presently irrigated lands, when supplied with an adequate. water supply. The irrigated soils of the area are highly productive and with proper management and the insurance of an adequate water supply would continue to be agriculturally important for a large variety of agricultural products. Pre- Unit conditions can be observed in the dry desert valleys to the west of the Unit area. Here native vegetation consists of sagebrush, greasewood, shadscale, and other related desert vegetation. ( 3) Expected Future Conditions Without the Unit Without the Bonneville Unit development and growth within the Bonneville Basin area would be expected to continue with expansion of urbanization into the rural areas and the accompanying loss of green belt areas. Conservation measures to improve efficiency in the use of water and some new water development would likely occur. This new water development would probably be small and somewhat piecemeal in relation to the total acreage of the Basin. Migration from the rural areas to the cities would continue. Land Use Patterns a. Existing Patterns Land use patterns can be better understood when it is realized that 16,207,298 acres or over 76 percent of the land in the 12 counties included in the Central Utah Water Conservancy District are owned by the Federal Government, the State of Utah, and several Indian tribes. Private ownership comprises about 23 percent of the land area and urban roads and railroads 1 percent. Most of the publicly- owned land and the Indian land is used for 163 |