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Alternative Agricultural Water Transfer Methods -Grant Application Form <br />January 2008 <br />evapotranspiration and lower yields. However, lower yields can be partially offset by lower input <br />costs (i.e. if less irrigation is performed, then fuel electricity and maintenance costs are lowered). <br />There are tools available (StateCU) that can quantify consumptive use under various levels of <br />irrigation. The consumptive use difference between full irrigation and a level of deficit irrigation <br />could be made available to other water users. Resulting yield reductions and potential economic <br />losses (if reduced input costs do not fully mitigate impacts of deficit irrigation) could be offset by <br />compensation for the transfer of this water to another water user. <br />Changes in consumptive use, changes in on-farm return flows, and streamflow impacts will be <br />analyzed using the tools described above. A tool named water Optunizer (developed by the <br />University of Nebraska) will be evaluated for use in estimating economic impacts to farmers from <br />various levels of deficit irrigation. Relevant concepts from water Optunizer could be incorporated <br />into the Business Plan that will be developed as part of this project. <br />Interrubtlble water Subply Agreements <br />These agreements are arrangements whereby irrigation is suspended, and agricultural water is <br />temporarily transferred to a different use. These types of arrangements typically require that <br />irrigation not be suspended for more than 3 out of 10 years in order to protect the irrigation water <br />rights. These agreements are commonly triggered by dry-year needs or drought recovery needs. <br />Payments to agricultural producers for the right by another water user to suspend irrigation are <br />generally dependent on the parties' discretion. <br />Changes in consumptive use, changes in on-farm return flows, and streamflow impacts will be <br />analyzed using StateCU and AwAS in a similar manner as described above. <br />Increased Irrigation Efficiency <br />Claiming CU credits resulting from increased agricultural efficiency has remained controversial in <br />Colorado primarily because of the potential for expansion of use and the difficulty in administering a <br />change employing increased efficiency. The Corn Growers Team will consider this alternative <br />agricultural water transfer method, however, with special consideration to legal and insfitutional <br />constraints and to administration of this alternative to avoid expansion of use. <br />4. Program/Project Eligibility <br />Please describe how the proposed program/project meets each of the following eligibility requirements <br />(please see Criteria and Guidelines for additional information regarding the alternative water transfer <br />methods/strategies that quay for funding). Note: If these requirements are addressed in other parts of the <br />application you may simply reference the applicable section(s). <br />12