CllAI'TKi: I 



INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY 



Tins rfptirt |Hrs«iit.N liic ii'sult.s ui an lll\^•^tl^;atl^M in ilitrrmiiH' li(»\v 

 imith tlu' laiulowiHTs of tin- upju'r San .Ioai|uin \'alU'y can afTonl to 

 pay for sm-li irri^'ation \vat«M- as inav Im> iiuport»'«l into that arra uihUt 

 the prop»Ks*»d statf plan of watrr ronsorvation. 



In undertaking' this investigation it was decided to approach the 

 prohli'in primarily from tin- standpoint of «'ost of pr<Kliu*tion and farm 

 inc'onif. with sui'h ronsidi-ration of i-i<'p athiptahility as thr tinu* avail- 

 nbh' for th«' stiidy woiiKI permit. A hirjje anunint of material relating; 



. costs of pnuluftion. yi«'l«ls and pritM-s was known to Im* available 

 ironi the enterprise eftieiiMiey studies of the A^'rieultnral Kxtension 

 St^rviee of the ( 'olle«re of Aj^'rieultiir*', as well a.s in tlu* Farm Manajre- 

 iiient Section of the Collejre of Agriculture. Having Imm'H assured the 



dl cooperation of these airencies, it was (h>ci<led that the first steps 

 ANould h«' to ass«'nd)le and stiidy this available material and to vrather 

 such additional iiiforniatioti a> iiii"lif !>»• imssilili- flirdiii/li fl.Id 

 in vest ijrat ions. 



Realixin^ that what the hnnlowners are now paying; for irrigation 



water would throw lijrht on the question under investigation. inf«»rma- 



von already available as to pres»'nt costs of irri^'ation water wjis as.s4>m- 



led an*l a special tield study made in the four upper counties of the 



ilb-y with a vi«\v to obtaininp additional <lata. The ri»sults of thift 

 latter study are contained in Chapter VIII. It is. of cours4>. reco>»ni/ed 

 that pn*s«>nt irri^ration water costs are. in many ca.s«'s, either less or more 

 than is jtistifi^il. and therefore are not always a satisfactory m«*asure of 



"permissible" charpe. 



Mtthod of Procedure. 



The detaih'd pr<K'edur«' followed in the u itioii has Iwen i 1 ' to 



avertain th«* costs of pnMiucini: and har\ .. .„' the principal crops 



irrown in the up|M>r San Joa<|uin Valley, without includint; interest 



II the average investment or a charjre f<»r irrii»ati<»n water; (2) to 



t -' ' • the farm inconu* on the basis of probable yicM.H and prices; (^) 



'' ...,jute inter«*st an the average irjvestment at ti |M«r cent |M-r annum. 



tid i4) from the fore^oini; to ascertain the margin remainint;. after 



overin^r the costs of prtMlucint? and harv«>stinK the crop. toj»i>ther with 



interest at fi per <'ent per annum It ' ' .,.,.. .^^^ 



will Im* available for i-;<v ni.nf v fm il 



profits over interest. 



The data cathered are most complete for or«n>re««, dividunuo fruitii. 

 frrai>e>i, and cotton. Kor each of theso crops chnrtM hnve lui-n prepared 



frt»m whi«'h the amount i\- ' ' !•• nlKive the ci>stH of pro' - rid 



harveNtinij the crop and in' u »i p^r cent can Ix* reaild;. d 



For the other croj)?* included in the stu«ly. i r . alfalfa, irrain. and miHcel- 

 laneoiis crops, the presi-ntation is lej4.H r ••. but ■.i are 



■'■ 'Vo*! to Ih* includi'd to v — • * "••iratti.n^ tm- Mniounta 



miirht reaxuiiahiv })•• ) • r 



( 13 ) 



