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years. Reported Bingham Township cropland both harvested and idle demin- <br /> ished by 16% between 1955 and 1977. The cropland base of the Township <br /> declined in this period by almost 1400 acres (Table3z153 ). <br /> TABLE 3-153 <br /> BINGHAM TOWNSHIP FARMLAND TRENDS1 <br /> CHANGE % <br /> 1955 1977 1955-77 CHANGE <br /> TOTAL CROPLAND 8,691 ac. 7,319 ac. -1,381 ac. -15.9% <br /> TOTAL PASTURE 4,491 ac. 4,418 ac. -73 ac. -1.6% <br /> TOTAL 13,182 ac. 11,728 ac. -1,454 ac. -11.0% <br /> ------ <br /> 1SOURCE: N.C. Crop and Livestock Reporting Service; Triangle J Council <br /> of Governments. <br /> As shown, the Township pastureland base also diminished, but at a much <br /> slower rate of less than 2%, representing a decline of less than 100 <br /> acres. <br /> The twenty operating dairy farms in Bingham Township maintain over 1800 <br /> mile cows. Consequently, Bingham Township is an important center of the <br /> dairying in a county, ranking sixth among North Carolina's 100 counties <br /> in number of milk cows. Other types of farming operations in the Town- <br /> ship include poultry and swine operations. <br /> Pressures fran the urbanization trends will likely affect Bingham Township <br /> agriculture. The proposed I-40 extension, if build, will significantly <br /> decrease the commuting time to typical places of work such as the Research <br /> Triangle Park, Durham and Raleigh. Dairy, swine and poultry operations <br /> in Bin&lam Township are vulnerable to development pressures. Nuisance <br /> complaints from non-farm residential areas are often directed at swine <br /> and poultry farms. Dairy farming is subject to increased environmental <br /> regulation as population density increases. The large capital investment <br /> necessary in dairying makes any relocation of a operation due to surround- <br /> , <br /> ing development pressures very difficult and expensive. <br /> Natural Environmental Constraints <br /> Bingham Township contains the following natural constraints to development <br /> activity: floodplains, watersheds, steep slopes and poor soil conditions. <br /> FLDODPLAINS. Floodplains present identified constraints along the Haw <br /> River in the southwest corner of Bingham, along Cane Creek and its tribu- <br /> taries in the central and northwest sections, and along Collins Creek in <br /> the south-central portion of the Township. <br /> WATER SUPPLY WATERSHED. Approximately 28% of the University Lake watershed <br /> pytpnds into the eastern section of the Township, consisting of 5385 acres <br />