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00135~ When irrigation was begun, the water was no longer able to go freely onto the ocean. Rather, it was diverted into canals for distribution to the land. Much of it was consumed by evaporation and transpiration, but the rest entered the alluvium as seepage from canals and deep percolation from irrigated land. The water table under the irrigated land rose until it was higher than the river. As a result, the ground- water began to flow toward and into the river, making it a live stream. The most senior downstream righ~s then became perpetual rights. The water table continued to rise, with the result that more and more return flow was available for diversion by more and more ditches. Not only did this result in more downstream diversions, but more upstream ditches were allowed to divert because senior downstream users had been satisfied. IRRIGATION RETURN FLOW MADE LIVE RIVER Diversions depleted the flow of the river reducing water velocity and 'turbulence. Much of the sediment load settled out raising the river bed. As the water table continued to rise, it came close to the ground sur- face in some areas. Water eva~orated, leaving the salts which were dissolved in it. Both irrigated and non-irrigated land was ruined, but some was drained and returned to productivity. The rest has continued to waste large amounts of water. Salvaging this water is a possible means for increasing our usable water supply. In many flat areas near the river, the rising water tables encouraged the growth of phreatophytes (plants such as cottonwood, salt cedar, and others which obtain their water from the groundwater and/or the capillary fringe). Phreatophytes on the Arkansas River between Pueblo and the state line are now using considerably more water than will be ~ported by the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project. Much of this water is potentially salvageable. <}- Phreatophytes -- - -- PHREATOPHYTES USE MUCH WATER WHICH COULD BE SALVAGED