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<br />/ <br />.~) <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />;." . <br />I':'!yyi& <br /> <br />-)- <br /> <br />Additional new and innovative approaches should be investigated, A discharge <br />permit program for irrigation run-off might be established, To overcome the <br />problem of over-irrigation because of the fear of losing water rights, the <br />federal government might acquire water rights in lieu of irrigation water <br />payments, Such rights could then be used for the beneficial uses of quality <br />control (although such rights might be downstream of the areas where the <br />maximum need for ecological beneficial uses occurs), <br /> <br />New methods of controlling and delivering irrigation water, such as those <br />used in Israel, should be implemented, (Hater can be metered and piped to plant <br />roots, using water Hith TD3 concentrations of 1,000 to 2,000 ppm, apparently <br />based on Israeli experience.) Federal monies might better be spent on approaches <br />such as this rather than a continuation of the "conventional Hisdom" methods. <br /> <br />ROHCOE beli eves that th e National Environmental Policy Act's phraseology a bou t <br />wise stewardship and future generations must bG taken seriously. Any program <br />which does not have specific elements for control of excessive consumptioncmust <br />be re-examined, Any program which does not demonstrate definite means for <br />conservation of resources is deficient, l-lestern water use, both agricultuzal <br />and munici:pal, at :present does not conform to the intent of HEPA, <br /> <br />J,Jost certainly, as mentioned in the Report, land sui tabili ty should be a major <br />factor is assessing federally~funded :projects. Irrigation of lands of high <br />salinity or marginal agricultural :productivity should not be :permitted. <br />Similarly, federally-assisted water projects for municipal and industrial use <br />should recognize the erosion and salinity suitabilities of land pro:posed for <br />development. Even though the total municipal contribution of salt load to the <br />Colorado River is low, it is more readily susceptible to control than many <br />natural sources, <br /> <br />Additional funding for research and control is in order. It is indicative of <br />the root cause of the problem that the Bureau of Reclamation has a higher-than- <br />usual budget for project development, which will aggravate the water quality <br />:problem, A reallocation of funds from'dpvelopment to research and control is <br />in order, ' , <br /> <br />The study should identify future consumptive losses more accurately. Uassive <br />thermal power plants and oil shale development (with 1 1/2 to ) barrels of <br />water consumed per barrel of oil produced) will have significant effects, <br /> <br />The study should identify secondary impacts more caref~lly, If removal of <br />salt from irrigated land is accomplished by flushing, additional fertilizer <br />must be applied, This will cause ,a higher nitrate level in both surface and <br />ground Haters, with potential adverse effects such as lake eutrophication and <br />methemoglobinemia; This is but 'Ol.e example of a potential secondary disbEmefi t, <br /> <br />The incidence of costs of salinity might be more precisely described. The <br />Report states' that ,the cost incidence of salinity is largely assignable to <br />farmers, Yet th'e August, -1970, report by the Colorado River Board of Cali- <br />fornia states that water users are continuing to make large investments in <br />drainage facilities to maintain producti vi ty. The costs are passed on to the <br />