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<br /> <br />Recommendations <br /> <br />The following recommendations are <br />made to facilitate continuation of <br />efforts by Reclamation and Indian <br />Affairs to achieve better <br />conservation of irrigation <br />water: <br /> <br />. <br />" <br /> <br />1. Detailed investigations <br />shoul d be made in each regi on <br />or area, on one or more areas <br />identified in this report as <br />having the most attractive <br />opportunities to conserve <br />water. These studies woul d <br />determine how much water can be <br />conserved and the cost and <br />effects of its conservation. <br />When selecti ng study areas, <br />proper assessment shoul d be <br />given to local support and <br />legal and institutional <br />ba rri ers. <br /> <br />2. Funding and staffing should <br />be provi ded to schedul e these <br />investigations into the ongoing <br />programs of each agency to <br />assure their timely completion. <br /> <br />3. In their ongoing programs, <br />Reclamation and Indian Affairs <br />need to place a higher priority <br />on encouraging water users and <br />water user organi zati ons to <br />take full advantage of the <br />variety of existing programs <br />along with their private <br />initiative to implement <br />water conservation measures. <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />4. Water measurement devices <br />and recordkeeping shoul d be <br />examined during periodic <br />revi ews of mai ntenance on each <br />project and recommendations <br />made for installation of <br />appropri ate devi ces where <br />needed. <br /> <br />xi ii <br /> <br />5. A comprehensive study of <br />the effect of Federal water <br />pricing policies on water <br />conservation practices should <br />be undertaken with the <br />assistance of a university or <br />nongovernmental entity. <br /> <br />6. Additional authorities <br />shoul d be sought to allow <br />allocating costs and repayment <br />obligations among recognized <br />beneficiaries and to provide <br />incentives, where justified, <br />for implementing water <br />conservati on measures. Draft <br />legislation should be developed <br />and pursued in the following <br />areas: <br /> <br />a. Federal cost sharing for <br />enhancement of fish, <br />wildlife, and public <br />recreation opportunities <br />when achieved as a part <br />of water conservation <br />efforts. <br /> <br />b. Federal underwriting of <br />costs, such as provisions <br />for deferred repayment, when <br />no user of saved water can <br />be immedi ately i dentifi ed. <br /> <br />c. Federal assumption of <br />the costs of mitigating <br />adverse impacts to fi sh and <br />wi 1 dl i fe habi tats due to <br />con serva t i on mea su res where <br />those habitats have been <br />created as a result of <br />inefficient water use <br />practices. <br /> <br />d. F edera 1 cos t shari ng on <br />the installation of water <br />measuring devices when water <br />users adopt and periodically <br />update programs for water <br />conservation including <br />