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Agriculture
The DEIS addresses in detail the effects of the SDS project upon
the agricultural industry, with specific attention to the agriculture-based
economies of the Arkansas River Valley. The DEIS finds — and
Colorado Springs Utilities agrees — that there already exist
high levels of salinity in the Lower Arkansas River Valley, and
that the SDS project will not be a major adverse contributor of
salinity levels.
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Agriculture in the Lower Arkansas River Valley
(Crowley, Otero and Bent counties) employs about 14 percent
of the population, compared to 2 percent statewide. |
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In this area, farmlands produce about $240 million
in agricultural products annually. |
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The DEIS evaluated existing conditions in the
Lower Arkansas Valley and those anticipated under a number of
alternatives for the SDS project. |
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The DEIS findings show there would be no effect
on the quantity of water available for irrigation from the SDS
project. There would be only a slight increase in salinity under
the SDS project, and it would affect crop yields less than one
percent. |
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