Hunting leases for quail, white-winged dove, and mourning dove are an important source of income. Major land use problems are saline soils and inadequate subsurface drainage on cropland. Much of the area is nearly level. Drainageways are shallow and have low gradients. Average annual precipitation -425 to 700 mm.
Maximum precipitation is during the growing season.
Rainfall is adequate for the growth of range grasses. It is low in the western and central parts of the area and marginal in the eastern. High temperatures and high evaporation and transpiration rates limit crop production. The Rio Grande, the only perennial stream, provides water for irrigation. Locally, deep wells and ponds provide water for live- stock, domestic use, and irrigation.