HomeMy WebLinkAbout841362.tiff STATE OF COLORADO RICHARD D. L....MI, Governor Geological Survey
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Board of Lend Commissioners
Mined Land Reclamation
DAVID H.GETCHES,Executive Director Division of Mines
1313 Sherman St., Room 718,Denver,Colorado 80203 866-3311 4 Oil and Gas Conservation Commission
Division of Parks& Outdoor Recreation
4000410 ' ,,rL
Soil Conservation Board
't 4„� - Water Conservation Board
Division of Water Resources
- `—' - Division of Wildlife
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0 CT 2 3 1984
October 4, 1984
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Weld County Board of County Commissioners
P. 0. Box C
Greeley, Colorado B0632
Dear Commissioners,
Last May we sent you information concerning two serious problems:
dust blowing and the conversion of fragile grasslands to cropland. We
were very pleased by the positive response. A Dust Blowing Task Force of
farm organizations, state, and federal agencies is now working on these
two issues, but we want to alert you to recent findings by the USDA Soil
Conservation Service on the status of the plowout of fragile grasslands
in Colorado.
During the past seven years, in Colorado, 628,687 acres of fragile
grasslands have been plowed . A total of 43% of these lands are in land
capability class VI or VII and cannot be farmed without excessive erosion
and a long-term effect of reduced productivity.
Despite the efforts of several counties, the rate of plowout during
the spring of 1983 compared to the spring of 1984 reflects no significant
reduction in the amount of fragile soils being converted to cropland.
Attached are SCS statistics concerning fragile grassland conversion in
Colorado including a three-month comparison between 1983 and 1984 by
county showing that this spring 56,618 acres of fragilg grassland were
converted compared to 59,343 acres in 1983. Thus , impact of continuing
plowout remains a very critical conservation and land use problem in
Colorado. A drought during the next six to eight months, even for a
short duration could cause a serious dust blowing problem.
Five counties have now adopted regulations regarding the plowout of
fragile grasslands: Adams, Morgan, Otero, Washington, and Weld.
Attached you will find regulations and ordinances passed by these five
counties. Crowley County is conducting public hearings to determine the
need for such regulations and Arapahoe County is showing interest.
It is essential that we protect Colorado's soil resources for future
generations. We urge your county to take positive action to strengthen
your ability to deal with soil conservation problems.
841362
Weld County Board of County Commissioners
October 4, 1984
Page 2
Please contact the Colorado Conservation Board or the Department of
Agriculture if you have any questions concerning the enclosed materials
or if you would like assistance in developing ordinances or policies
regarding the plowout of fragile grasslands.
Srely,
DAVIDH 6 HES igs4614
TIM THY W. SCHU
Executive Director Commissioner
Department of Natural Resources Department of Agriculture
Enclosures
DHG/TWS:vaw
- /\ �\
Status of Plowout of Fragile Grasslands
in Colorado Since 1978
Land Capability Class
Total for Total
Period IV VI VII Acres
Average spring plowout
5-year period 1978-1982 56,688 43,570 2,286 102,545
5-year total 1978-1982 283,444 217,853 11,429 512,726
Plowout spring 1983 41,748 16,140 1,455 59,343
6-year total 1978-1983 325,192 233,993 12,884 572,069
Plowout spring 1984 30,444 24,637 1,537 56,618
7-year total 1978-1984 355,636 258,630 14,421 628,687
% by Land Capability Class 57% 41% 2%
..
Report on Plowout of Fragile Grasslands
in Colorado
Three-Month Period
April - May - June 1984
Land Capability Class
Total
County IV VI VII Acres
Adams 107 595 150 852
Arapahoe 1,275 1,290 105 2,670
Baca 880 0 320 1,200
Bent 263 270 0 533
Boulder 0 0 0 0
Cheyenne 5,587 2,724 400 8,711
Crowley 400 6,000 0 6,400
Douglas 0 0 0 0
Elbert (Kiowa) 0 0 0 0
Elbert (Simla) 5,380 3,120 320 8,820
El Paso 0 0 0 0
Huerfano 0 0 0 0
Jefferson 0 0 0 0
Kiowa 1,560 1,140 0 2,700
Kit Carson (Burlington) 1,688 1,744 217 3,649
Kit Carson (Flagler) 876 195 0 1,071
Iarimer 0 0 0 0
Lincoln 120 0 0 120
Logan 2,156 1,227 0 3,383
Moffat 465 604 25 1,094
Mbrgan 610 360 0 970
Otero 0 0 0 0
Phillips 0 0 0 0
Prowers 810 50 0 860
Pueblo 0 0 0 0
Rio Blanco 128 0 0 128
Routt 40 0 0 40
Sedgwick 0 0 0 0
Teller and Park 0 0 0 0
Washington 5,000 5,000 0 10,000
Weld 3,099 318 0 3,417
Yuma (Wray) 0 0 0 0
Yuma (Yuma) 0 0 0 0
1V1AL 30,444 24,637 1,537 56,618
Report on Plaaout of Fragile Grasslands
in Colorado
Three-Mcuith Period
April - May - June 1983
Land Capability Class
Total
County IV VI VII Acres
Adams 100 320 10 430
Arapahoe 2,382 3,755 300 6,437
Baca 1,120 75 0 1,195
Bent 0 0 0 0
Boulder 0 0 0 0
Cheyenne 10,745 3,555 785 15,085
Crowley 0 0 0 0
Douglas 0 0 0 0
Elbert (Kiowa) 0 0 0 0
Elbert (Simla) 445 335 0 800
El Paso 0 0 0 0
Huerfano 0 0 0 0
Jefferson 0 0 0 0
Kiowa 1,200 80 0 1,280
Kit Carson (Burlington) 1,000 640 0 1,640
Kit Carson (Flagler) 13,120 0 0 13,120
Larim r 0 0 0 0
Las Animas 0 0 0 0
Lincoln 3,408 2,748 0 6,156
Logan 1,395 1,520 130 3,045
Moffat 0 0 35 35
Morgan 40 120 0 160
Otero 0 0 0 0
Phillips 0 30 0 30
Prawers 0 0 0 0
Pueblo 0 40 0 40
Rio Blanco 59 5 30 94
Routt 0 0 0 0
Sedgwick 0 0 0 0
Teller and Park 0 0 0 0
Washington 44 1,210 0 1,254
Weld 6,130 1,567 165 7,862
Yuma (Wray) 20 40 0 60
Yuma (Yuma) 540 80 0 620
TOTAL 41,748 15,140 1,455 59,343
1 urass land
0 i 1 PI owout
1 Regulations
x Fragile Grassland
x x x x Land Not Cultivated for 5 Years
x Based on Capability Class 1
x Parcels 10 Acres or Larger
X x Overlay on Planning or Zoning Map
x x Five Years
M
x x x Indefinite
x x x x x Completed Application Form N
N
X X X X X Legal Description 2
x X x X X Map of Land to be Cultivated
x x x x x Recannended Conservation Plan
fran District
IA <r) to
N tri gm Application Fee
r
x x x Planning Caimission Review
x Permit Decision: Board of
Adjustment
x x x x Permit Decision: County
Ca[missicners
.a
x x x x Revegetation by County Order
at Landowner's Expense
X Fine $100.00/Day
x x x Fine $300.00/Day
x x x x Inprisament
All Charges of Litigation Including R
x
Attorney Fees and Proceedings Costs
x Any Penalty Authorized by
State Statute
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