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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />(J02t41 <br /> <br />8 <br /> <br />Cropping patterns change as salinity increases in the lower <br />reaches of the basin. This change reflects the reduction in <br />crop yields when irrigation water exceeds 1000 mg/l of TDS. <br />Some crops, such as vegetables, are more sensitive to high <br />salt levels than others. <br /> <br />B. projeot Effeots <br /> <br />Initial reviews of proposed projects designed to improve <br />water quality in the Arkansas River revealed that the Soil <br />conservation service did not have a reliable method to <br />relate project actions to changes in water quality. <br /> <br />project effects have been measured in units of practices <br />applied and changes in irrigation water efficiencies. From <br />this data, estimates can be made as to changes in the <br />amounts of water returning to the river via surface flows or <br />to the ground water via deep percolation or seepage. <br /> <br />The questions raised included: <br /> <br />1. How do changes in efficiencies in one irrigation system <br />or a combination of systems effect the river flow? <br /> <br />2. How do changes in the irrigation system relate to <br />changes in salt loading in the river? <br /> <br />3. Can irrigation improvement projects be justified by <br />changes in water quality? <br /> <br />4. What is the maximum change in the quality of the water <br />in the river that can be made through improvements in <br />the irrigation systems? Is this change sufficient to <br />bring in higher valued crops in the lower reaches of the <br />basin? <br />