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Comments to SWSI~ November 3,2003, by John Wiener 16 operation of some lands as seed-farms to assure availabitity of the best varieties and mixes of cover vegetation for times when rangelands are put into reserve, irrigated and dry-land farming acres are not cropped, and so forth. The publiC has an interest in helping landowners avoid erosion, maintain fertility, and provide open spa.ce and environmental benefits, while retaining the ability to return to farming as desired. The Central Plains 'rrigation Association is a terrjfic provider of assistance and information for improving uses of farmfand with irrigation technology; this is the flip side of that research and extension. Another research task is herping direct the in-stream flow program and the possible loans and donations to ift for the benefit of env~ronmental buffers and benefits during hard times. The ewes could administer a small but valuable effort to help identify places and kinds of resources most Uneedy.1 or "worthy" of water charity~ going beyond just identifying dry reaches where that is appropriat9_ The advance identification of problem areas eQuid help ward off the kinds of trouble that result from both the crossing of environmental thresholds, and the public concerns that arise from that. It might even be possible to develop intergovernmental agreements with USDA and its agencies to apply drought relief funding and emergency appropriations to helping support such planningt and then to paying landowners for these services and qualities of Jand use, or perhaps options to use the land as needed. This could consolidate many of the various reserve programs and wetlandS programs (and wetlands banking) in a form that might achieve some streamlining and clarity which could alleviate the administrative nightmares for the state and federaJ agencies~ (CouldJ if that were a specific goal and research request, I think...) In summary on the drought history, if Henz.s predictions are not to be dismissed~ in my opinion, and the practical implications are about the same as those from the climate impacts literature. The climate impacts concerns Here is a selaction of forecasts from the climate jmpacts assessment literature, relevant to the SWSI considerations: the most complete corleotion is in the USGCRP Overview of Climate Chance Imoacts on the United States: The Potential Conseauences of Climate Variability. These are typical of the range of assessments work, and all are subject to the concerns noted above. Each assessment also provides information about the rerative level of confidence in the forecasts. . Lower and earlier"'meiting snowpacks, particularly in Western snowmelt-dominated basins, greater percent of winter precipitation as rain. What are the implications for reservoir-based systems? For new development? For the small versus large systems? . Increased salinity CQufd result from lower average streamflows, and perhaps especiaUy lower flows during already dry late summer periods. . Soil moisture likely to decrease with increasing temperature and thus increasing ET, perhaps even with increased total precipitation. Note: area to East. "leeu of Rockies, forecast by models selected to provide contrasting outputs (Hadley and CeM) to experience reduced precipitation as well as warmer temperatures. This is ominous, since there are few regional forecasts so widely agreed-upon by different models. . The decreasing soil moisture problem may also mean decreasing groundwater recharge to aquifers which are not arready non-renewable resources, and may indirectly affect surlace frows which are alluviaUy extensive~ Threat to groundwater users? Opportunity for benefit from need for more recharge by intentional acts (ponds, injection, up-stream trow management)? Public interest in buying return flows from junior water rights?