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<br />M&I water needs will increase and agricultural needs will decrease, possibly resulting in loss of <br />return flows from agriculture. <br /> <br />3.2.2.6.1 Impact to Return Flows in the MA From Reduction in Irrigation <br /> <br />If irrigation practices change and less water is used on the land, either from reduced farming or <br />more efficient delivery practices, such as sprinkler irrigation, there could be a negative impact to <br />the MA. Return flows will diminish proportional to the reduction in agricultural use. <br />Accordingly, the wetland/riparian functions and values will be negatively impacted. <br /> <br />It is also possible that changes from large-scale agriculture to smaller scale agriculture could lead <br />to more water being applied to the contributing area, as each new landowner attempts to provide <br />water to his own fields. <br /> <br />3.2.2.6.2 Impact to High Spring Flows in the MA From Reduction in Irrigation <br /> <br />Changes in land use should not affect high peaks flows negatively. As water rights become <br />abandoned or moved to downstream users, diversion of the peak flows could decrease. <br /> <br />3.2.2.6.3 Reduction in Irrigation Impacts in the MA Assessment Conclusion <br /> <br />Overall this change in land use does pose a threat to the wetland/riparian portions of the MA over <br />time. Loss of return flows would directly impact the effectiveness to the ,mitigation program and <br />the number of acres of functional wetland/riparian habitat by reducing the wetted perimeter of the <br />river and by a similar reduction in groundwater recharge that keep the return flows flowing in the <br />later part of the year when general water availability drops off. <br /> <br />However, the Animas-La Plata Project is intended also to provide M&I water and the strong <br />likelihood exists that M&I water will be delivered into the La Plata River basin from the Animas <br />River basin, via pipeline from Ridges Basin Reservoir. This will eliminate the need for <br />conversion of irrigation water to M&I in the La Plata River drainage. <br /> <br />Reclamation is committed to monitoring the operations and development (water use changes) in <br />the La Plata River Basin. If a significant negative impact is noted as a result of changes in land <br />use in the La Plata River drainage, Reclamation will augment supplies to insure that adequate <br />water is available to maintain the wetland/riparian functions in the MA. The various steps and <br />measures that Reclamation woul,d take are discussed in the following section. <br /> <br />-32- <br />