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N (.;.) CJ1 ~, the adequacy of the onfarm irrigation systems, and soil characteristics. Lands with the greatest potential for increasing irrigation efficiencies and decreasing drainage return flows receive the highest priority. A total of 306 applications for cost Sharing has been received on some 48,000 acres since the inception of the program. Contracts have been developed on a total of 207' priority applicants on 31,052 acres. Conservation practices pianned under the contracts in FY 1981 include 131,281 linear feet of ditch lining, 4,762 acres of land leveling, 1,054 structures for water control and measurement, and 56 acres of soil improvement. All SCS contracts are reviewed by the Wellton-Mohawk valley Natural Resource Conservation District Board. After all practices under a contract are installed, technical assistance is provided by SCS personnel for an additional 2 years to help the farmer improve his irrigation water management efficiency. Table 111-1 provides a summary of practices installed. Table 111-2' illustrates progress and accomplishments in contracting and acres treated. Contracting progress has been good, progress is excellent and total acres treated represent approximately 40 percent of project objectives. Irrigation water management plans and technical assistance are being provided to farmers participating in the program to help them achieve higher irrigation application efficiencies, thus reducing deep percolation losses and drainage return flows. Table 111-3 summarizes the irrigation efficiencies for the 1981 crop year. Irrigation efficiency improvements show a range from a low of a percent in sorghum (630 Ac.) to a high of 63.percent in lettuce (1,541 AC.) production. Even more significant are the 25-31 percent efficiency improvements on over 17,000 acres of alfalfa, wheat, and cotton. These improved irrigation efficiencies lead to a substantial reduct~on in deep percolation. Table 111-4 shows the reduction 'in deep percolation for each crop. It is estimated that during the 1981 crop year deep percolation was 'reduced 39,495 acre-feet on the 20,060 acres with practices installed (under contract). The greatest per-acre reductions were with citrus, lettuce and alfalfa crops at 6.65, 4.30, and 2.71 acre-feet reductions respectively. Also, a total deep percolation reduction of nearly 30,000 acre-feet was achieved on the three major crops of cotton, wheat, and alfalfa. Generally, it can be concluded that the Wellton-Mohawk project is making substantial progress and has had a major impact on improving irrigation efficie'ncies, reducing deep pe'rcolation, and reducing irrigation return flows. 10