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<br />od'i'5W" . <br /> <br />has sufficient water to meet all potential depletions at any location there would be no <br />impact on available supplies from reducing return flows. However, there can be significant <br />impacts on the available water supply as a result of changing diversion rates and patterns <br />in a basin where demand outstrips supply; <br /> <br />When a senior irrigator who historically has called out junior users to make its <br />diversions becomes able to meet its needs with reduced diversions, tben upstream juniors <br />who previously had to bypass water to meet the senior's call will experience an increase in <br />their available supply as a result of the improved downstream efficiency. At the same time, <br />because upstream depletions can be increased, there is a corresponding decrease in the <br />available water supply downstream of those juniors. If other downstream users have <br />sufficient senior rights, they may now call the saved water past upstream users. (Note that <br />the no injury rule only applies when a water right is changed, and that merely diverting less <br />water to carry out tbe same historical decreed purpose is not considered a change of water <br />right.) <br /> <br />I <br />I <br />.' <br /> <br />The owner of junior rights builds an improved system to reduce conveyance losses so <br />that it can consume more water while contiJ;lUing to make the diversions historically <br />available to it. This increases depletions (and reduces return flows) below the area. So <br />long as this increased use is consistent with the original decreed water rights, there is no <br />. change of rights and no opportunity to apply the "no injury" rule. If the improver is not able <br />to increase consumptive use it will then divert less water, consume the same amount, and <br />return less water to the stream. In that case, and assuming upstream seniors already have <br />an adequate supply, the reduced diversions will result in an increased supply below the <br />headgate and a decreased late season supply in reaches where return flows historically <br />entered the stream. <br /> <br />26 <br />