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± <br />This basin needs more water, not more storage. We have enough storage but it?s <br />empty. This basin also has too many water districts; we need just one. This <br />basin needs new supplies of water, perhaps from somewhere outside the basin. <br />± <br />Look at a project that captures water before it leaves the state. <br />± <br />The proposed Colorado Springs Southern Deliv ery System pipeline that essentially <br />will bring water from the Pueblo Dam to Colorado Springs will be the lifeline of the <br />Arkansas Valley. <br />± <br />Farmers can put in new equipment that can save water. We all need to work <br />together to get things done. SWSI needs to look at other economic factors and <br />work with farmers to make improvements such as augmenting wells. <br />± <br />The Arkansas River was the test for water banks. The water bank is a <br />cumbersome system, but maybe it will work. Leasing makes sense if you have <br />periods with big flows. <br />± <br />Water that is turned into the water bank is practically impossible to get because <br />it?s too expensive. <br />± <br />The drip irrigation system must be evaluated under inter-state compacts. Farmers <br />need to show a return to the river from drip irrigating systems because otherwise <br />it will be considered 100% consumptive use. <br />± <br />Drip irrigation sounds good, but how many people have talked to someone who?s <br />actually using it? Farmers need a good right on the river, or storage, or an <br />augmented well so they can have water two to three times a week for adequate <br />crop irrigation. <br />± <br />The drip irrigation system saves consumptive use of water, especially when one <br />uses a crop that uses less water. But the realized savings might be at the <br />expense of someone else?s water downstream because drip irrigation causes <br />less run-off into streams. <br />± <br />If one conserves water, it goes downstream, so what?s the incentive to conserve <br />water? <br />± <br />Rehabilitation of reservoirs that have already been restricted is another possible <br />solution. <br />Water quality needs to be improved: <br />± <br />The water quality in this basin is just plain bad. The water quality is so bad that if <br />one took drinking water out of the river and then put it back in the river, you would <br />be considered polluting the river and violating the law. <br />± <br />La Junta simply can not afford to clean the river. <br />± <br />Water quality issues have to be dealt with in our canal because water quality is a <br />big problem. <br />± <br />Water quality could bring agriculture into a bad light because farming turns good <br />quality water into poor quality water. Water quality regulations could have bad <br />results for farmers in the basin if the regulations are interpreted incorrectly. <br />A statewide plan that represents all basins and interests is needed: <br />± <br />There needs to be a statewide water plan that deals with supply and demand and <br />deals with realities of managing water. Farmers need an economic basis in order <br />to live in the Arkansas Valley. There needs to be something economically <br />feasible, such as interruptible supply, to compete with cities. Farmers need to be <br />