Prepared Statement to the Landowners Riverside Irrigation District

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t FU MED STATEx M"T TO TB3 LdRUZ O WTHERS RIVERSXDE IARIGATION DISTRICT AND ALL OTHERS DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY CONCERNED At a meeting in aarch of This year, a majority oZ the landowners were present, and after discussing the need Zor more water for more land and better service, they made it crystal clear to the Directors that woule stand a dollar more assessment per acre to find a way to obtain and deliver core rester, and more timely, providing some results could be obtained. They die" not make it clear as to how much they would pay if substantial benefits could be derived. Following this meeting, some additional supplies have been obtained and paid for by the inclusion of additional lands. The requirement of any irrigation system is simple. Supply the volume of Slater needed at the time of need, depending upon the demand or the user. To do this, it is necessary for the system to have as raw material the necessary water in volume, whether it be Zrom reservoir, river or wells, and have the Zacilities in the way of pipelines and ditches to deliver to the farm. Water is but one of the tools for successful farming, along with labor, seed, fertilizer, etc. 10 per cent of the gross crop value can be spent for this item, providing it can be had when needed. To grow a crop it requires the equivalent, of 2G inches of rainfall to germinate, grow andmatuxe a crop as a general average. The annual consumption use of irrigation water will be 26 inches less the rainfall during the growing season. The application rate "ill vary according to the efficiency by which is applied W the land. Sprinklers will be almost 100 per cent. Flood irrigation on poorly leveled sanely soils may be as low as 20 per cent. When Ovate: has a value oZ $5.00 per acre root, each operator must become efficient or he can no longer compete suc- cessfully. The need for this water occurs curing the latter part of April and all of oay for germination of rwa crops and for alfalfa. The bulk of the water is required in July and August, with but small mounts in September and October. It can be fairly stated that the critical irrigation season is but GO days in length. A ditch system must not only possess the water, but it also must make delivery. To make delivery it must meet the maximum demand and smu st ° size the delivery canal to this manimum. Any deliveries less than the Optimum size must pay a price of lessened efficiency due to the simple hydraulic lair in which the wetted perimeter is a part. This loss iii e:.=�iciency is paiC? for out of the reserves of 'rater the ditch system may have in the form o2 ' r eservoir water.