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<br />Project action will reduce deep percolation which will improve ground water and <br /> <br /> <br />Arkansas River water quality. This is achieved through reduced loading of nutrients, <br /> <br /> <br />trace elements, heavy metals, pesticides, salts, and sediment. <br /> <br />;',~' (>. <br /> <br />.' <br /> <br />Water Quantitv <br /> <br />The economy of the watershed is derived from irrigated agriculture and livestock. <br /> <br /> <br />Surface irrigation water availability varies considerably from year to year. The J'lresont <br /> <br /> <br />irrigation systems in use in the -lillWatershed contribute to lower water application <br /> <br /> <br />effectiveness. <br /> <br />-Two maior faqtors areatly imaaet this issue. avail~bl~ labor alj1d inherent defiQienci~~ <br /> <br /> <br />io jrriaation methodoloov and eauioment. In a~dition to these factors is the effect of <br /> <br /> <br />Pueblo Reservoir on the irriaation water. The dam is trFlDoina sediment thus oroviding <br /> <br />~eaner water to ir(iQators. Tbis has increaseq the trans~J losses iO the main canal~ <br /> <br />180/0 since the 19505. The clean water ~so increasedJ.i!aJd..W1Q,h seeoaoe ~ <br /> <br />220/0 since the 19505. The 1950s data was com oared with data from the oeri9d 1976 <br /> <br />to 1985. <br /> <br />The average irrigation requirements for the crop rotation for the project area are about <br /> <br /> <br />20 inches per acre/year over and above normal precipitation.. Crop production <br /> <br /> <br />reductions occur in the watershed on the water short years. This issue was evaluated <br /> <br /> <br />in light of the Arkansas River compact and considered in each alternative analysis. It <br /> <br /> <br />was found that better water manaoement on-farm water maAa~eFAOnt in order to <br /> <br /> <br />improve water application effectiveness was the primary need. <br /> <br />~~ <br />