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<br />:002413 . <br />1WM/Water Conservallon <br /> <br />The watershed has a water deficiencvshortago due to an inefficient irrigation water <br /> <br />delivery system as well as lower on-farm water application effectiveness. Efficiencies of <br /> <br />the deliverv svstem decreased after Pueblo Reservoir was built due to increased <br /> <br />seeoaae wtili<h has been caused by the deliverv of cleaner water. The qecrease in t~ <br /> <br />number of irrigated croDland laborers has contributed to this ineffectiveness. Lower <br /> <br />water application effectiveness increases the deep percolation and runoff lllill.'Nhish <br /> <br />carries the trace elements, heavy metals, nutrients and salts to the drains and creeks <br /> <br />and finally back to the Arkansas River. The groundwater quality is also <br /> <br />imoaireddotorior3tod due to deep percolation. <br /> <br />Water Qual/tv/Surface and Groundwater <br /> <br />The irrigation water application ineffectiveness reduce~ surface and groundwater quality <br /> <br />to a level that iLno longer meets EPA and State standards for nitrates in wells. <br /> <br />Seienium, salts, uranium, heavy metals, trace elements, and sediment are also a <br /> <br />problem in the wells and the Arkansas River. <br /> <br />Irriqation Induced Erosion <br /> <br />Scoping found that the upper portion of irrigated fields has been deteriorated by erosion <br /> <br />and the resources base is not being protected. Productivity is also being lost from the <br /> <br />erosion and sedimentation. The amount of erosion occurrino has been imoacted by <br /> <br />Pueblo Reservoir clean water according to a Coooerative Extension Service reoort. <br /> <br />S;1i-25 <br />