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<br />/ <br /> <br />o .~ 0 8 ~ 1~ <br /> <br />million m' (10,000 acre-feet) per year. Further studies, that have <br />been made, show that through the automation of three check <br />structures on' a canal which bypasses Sheckler Reservoir i the <br />reservoir can be operated at an extremely low. level or bypassed <br />completely and replaced by a small lined surge pond. Eliminating <br />the equalizing reservoir entirely would also eliminate the long <br />inlet and outlet channels, thereby providing additional. water <br />savings, This is expected to result in an additional savings of <br />7.4 million m' (6,000 acre-feet) per year. <br /> <br />Reductions in the levels of the other three equalizing reservoirs <br />has been attempted with less dramatic effects. However, it was <br />found that if releases from Lahontan Reservoir are adjusted daily <br />to reflect changes in demand for water, there is less need for the <br />equalizing reservoirs and less loss of water through operational <br />spills at the end of the 'system. <br /> <br />In order to help the operator of the dam match releases with <br />demand, an improved flow measuring device was installed at Lahontan <br />Dam, Previously, releases were measured at a stream gaging station <br />just downstream from the dam. This gaging station is only accurate <br />to about :t lot, making small adjustments to. releases very <br />difficult. Equipment has been purchased and installed that is <br />expected to increase the accuracy to about :t 2\, The sonic flow <br />measuring device was installed on the outlet works conduit of the.. <br />dam. This ~ill conserve water by allowing the operator to more <br />precisely match releases with daily demands. . <br /> <br />Another idea that was tried successfully was to use, as far as <br />possible, the water remaining in the equalizing reservoirs to meet <br />irrigation demands at the end of the season. This lowered or <br />. drained the reservoirs going into the winter season with a <br />subsequent reduction in seepage and evaporation losses through the <br />winter season. In addition, a study just completed by the Bureau's <br />field office shows that during the winter months there is enough <br />accretion flows in the Carson River below Lahontan Dam to fill two <br />of these equalizing reservoirs in preparation for the next <br />irrigation season. This will eliminate the need to release water <br />from Lahontan Reservoir to refill the equalizing reservoirs, <br />resulting in a savings of approximately 3.1 million m' (2,500 acre- <br />feet) of water per year. <br /> <br />Past practice in operating the Newlands project required that the <br />canal systea remain fully charged with water until the end of the <br />irrigation season. This was done to assure that all requests for <br />water deliveries could be made through the last day. Releases of <br />stored water from Lahontan Reservoir were made until the last day <br />to meet these demands. At the conclusion of the season, the canals <br />are allowed to drain through seepage, evaporation or dumping into <br />drains. The district, at the end of the 1989 irrigation season, <br />made a change in the manner in which they operated the system that <br />resulted in a savings of about 1.8 million m' (1,500 acre-feet), <br /> <br />6 <br />