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<br />iGS;) <br /> <br />SCOPING PROCESS RESULTS <br /> <br />The producers identified the following as the technical <br />barriers/problems and opportunities: <br /> <br />1. Conveyance losses, <br />2. Dealing with trash/debris in the irrigation water supply. <br />3. Demonstration and education were identified as <br />opportunities. <br /> <br />On the second question "Best Management Practices" the producers <br />identified: <br /> <br />1. Underground pipeline. <br />2. Land leveling. <br />3. Gated pipe <br />1. Design and construction of effective, inexpensive trash <br />screens. <br />5. Tailwater pits. <br />6. Subsurface drains. <br />7. Irrigation Water Management. <br /> <br />As to the third question, as expected, the producers said the <br />lace of ability to completely capitalize themselves to make <br />needed improvements was identified. Programmatic barriers <br />included rules of the Agricultural Conservation cost-share <br />program (ACP) through FSA (formerly ASCS). The ACP program has <br />traditionally been used to make on-farm improvements. In order <br />to address the needed improvements to achieve better water <br />management and conservation, the consensus of the farmer group <br />was that a cost-shared demonstration and education program would <br />be the preferred approach. The group did not want to see an <br />agency "give-away", rather, they wanted to be able to feel as if <br />they were taking ownership in any demonstration program by <br />providing a share of the money required. A suggested possible <br />cost-share rate structure is 60~40, 60% Reclamation, and 40% <br />individual including in-kind services by sponsors. This <br />suggested structure is consistent with the EPA Section 319 <br />program. <br /> <br />C. OBJECTIVES AND BENEFITS <br /> <br />The proposal is to develop a demonstration program based on the <br />results of the scoping process. The demonstration project would <br />cost-share specific on-farm "Best,Management Practices" (BMP's) <br />on selected farm units within the Purgatoire Hydrologic Unit, but <br />also use these sites to promote public water conservation <br />education and promote practices to other farmers. The use of <br />specific local "materials" will also be emphasized. As an <br />example, the most effective screening material for trash and <br />debris removal from irrigation water has been as special <br />stainless steel screen currently being removed from the coal <br /> <br />1 <br />