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<br />, <br /> <br />'~0083G <br /> <br />.,1 'f:" <br /> <br />CONSERVING WATER THROUGH MANAGEMENT <br />CHANGES ON THE NEWLANDS PROJECT <br /> <br />Franklin E. Dimick <br /> <br />ABSTRACT <br /> <br />Nevada is the most arid State in the united States of America. The <br />first settlers who arrived in the 1840's knew that their survival <br />depended upon an adequate supply of water from the few rivers in <br />the State, so the first settlements were near these rivers. As <br />more and more people settled in Nevada, the competition for water <br />grew more intense. In addition to the need for drinking water for <br />humans and animals, water was needed for agriculture, mining, and <br />industry. <br /> <br />The Newlands project irrigates over 24,280 hectares (60,000 acres) <br />of farmland in Northern Nevada and is the major user of water from <br />the Carson and Truckee Rivers. As a result of various court. <br />actions relating to an endangered species of fish (cui-ui), the <br />operators of the Newlands Project have been directed to increase <br />the efficiency of their irrigation delivery system by approximately' <br />12 percent over a five year period. These improvements in <br />efficiency are to be accomplished through changes in management <br />practices rather than through ma jor capital expenditures. The <br />Bureau of Reclamation is providing technical assistance to the <br />district to develop the necessary management changes. During the <br />first two years of this endeavor, the efficiency of the delivery <br />system has been increased by over 6 percent, resulting. in the <br />conservation of over 24.7 million m' (20,000 acre-feet) of water <br />per year.. This increased efficiency has been accomplished without <br />interfering with or reducing the amount of water each farmer within <br />the project is entitled to. The conserved water is made available <br />for other needs including increasing the .frequency and <br />effectiveness of spawning runs of the endangered cui-ui fish, <br /> <br />HISTORY <br /> <br />Nevada is the most arid state in the united States of America. The <br />state lies almost wholly within the Great Basin which is bounded on <br />the west by the Sierra Nevada Mountain range and on the east by the <br />Wasatch Mountains. <br /> <br />Franklin E. Dimick <br />Regional Liaison Officer <br />Bureau of Reclamation <br />Washington, D.C. <br /> <br />1 <br />