Date of Award:

5-1970

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Wildland Resources

Department name when degree awarded

Range Science

Committee Chair(s)

Jack F. Hooper

Committee

Jack F. Hooper

Committee

George B. Coltharp

Committee

Neil E. West

Abstract

The upper Colorado River drainage system yields approximately 104,000 acre-feet of silt annually to the Colorado River. In an attempt to reduce the silt load, federal land management agencies have installed numerous land surface treatments. A study was conducted to measure the economic benefits of the land treatments near Cisco, Utah, and to compare them to the treatment costs and to develop predictive criteria for estimating the optimum intensity of treatment.

The economic evaluation was done in a benefit-cost framework and the criteria for estimating optimum intensity of treatment was done in a production-function framework.

The land treatments were found to be effective in retaining silt, but treatment apparently resulted in decreased livestock carrying capacity. Over-all, the land treatments were found to be uneconomical.

Checksum

43b28860c8b9baa4bec2fe8270f3f685

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