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Section 4 <br />Agricultural Conservation Measures <br />^ In South Platte, center pivot irrigation has been widely adopted in recent years to <br />achieve labor savings, but has also resulted in increased irrigation application <br />uiuformity and efficiency and changed return flow patterns. <br />^ During the 2002 drought in the South Platte, agricultural users implemented higher <br />levels of irrigation management including reduced set times to mini_ntize runoff <br />and deep percolation in order to meet crop needs under significantly reduced <br />surface water supplies. <br />^ The Grand Valley Project was implemented to improve canal hydraulics to reduce <br />need to maintain full canal head to make deliveries to canal users. <br />^ Polyacrylamide applications to irrigation canals and ditches in the West Slope and <br />Arkansas Valley have shown 25 percent decrease in seepage losses, while <br />providing sufficient water for the maintenance of riparian plants, e.g., <br />cottonwoods. <br />DRAFT 4-5 <br />