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<br />I' ' ~ r , 9 <br />,; ,j iJ ,j to _ <br /> <br />More Efficient Water Use <br /> <br />Water is not used efficiently in many applications at the present <br />time. The technology exists for increasing the efficiency of water use in <br />agriculture, in many industrial applications, and in muncipal use. For ex- <br />ample, sprinkler irrigation technology alone could increase the efficiency <br />of water use 15 to 30% over current practice (Montana Department of Natural <br />Resources and Conservation, 1975).22 Other measures for increasing water <br />use efficiency in agriculture include canal lining, automation of delivery <br />systems, and improved irrigation scheduling (U. S. Department of the In- <br />terior, 1975).23 Enough water could be saved through these means alone to <br />supply anticipated new uses for many years to come. Yet another means of <br />limiting water losses in irrigation is through the control of water-using <br />vegetation (phreatophytes) in water delivery systems. It has become high- <br />ly controversial because of the wildlife habitat losses which are often <br />involved. <br /> <br />Water savings in industrial and muncipal applications cannot be <br />as great as in agriculture simply because much less water is now consumed <br />in these uses. Still, there are opportunities in water reuse, in less <br />water-intensive production processes, and in urban design to achieve sig- <br />nificant reductions in depletions. Perhaps more important, improvements <br />in water quality can be affected through closed system cooling, air cool- <br />ing, and reuse of muncipal waste waters for irrigation. ' <br /> <br />-'" <br /> <br />.,...:-...,..... <br /> <br />".'.':",' <br /> <br />.~., -:.;, -'. ." .... <br />~:-f~::,'~.-:.~.~ ".:...t-, ~:.:..:.~;<(~:. .". '." <br /> <br />Vegetation Management <br /> <br />Research has demonstrated that it is possible to increase water <br />yields through the management of forest and associated brush and range <br />lands. Up to 4 million acre feet of water might be made available annually <br />throughout the West by full-scale application of this technology (U. S. <br />Department of the Interior, Westwide, 1974).24 However, the economic as- <br />pects and environmental impacts associated with these techniques are not <br /> <br />.' .''- ". ';- <br />:,':::-:;;~/.:r;~'..:~:~:~~.~?::/:: ::. :'~:."' <br />'".' '."." <br />.... ..... .,....... . <br /> <br />.;.:....., <br /> <br />25 <br />