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<br />II <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 />[1 r: -~~ -~ E>t <br /> <br />PREFACE <br /> <br />A basic premise of the High Plains-Ogallala Aquifer Regional Resources <br />Study is that reductions in annual unit water demand (acre-feet of diverted <br />or extracted water per irrigated acre) or improved water conservation through <br />agricultural and water use management practices offer the quickest and least <br />costly ways of providing significant alleviation of the increasing overdraft <br />on the Ogallala Aquifer. These are decisions and actions which, taken coop- <br />eratively by private (farmer) and public (local, state, federal) interests <br />can provide some immediate relief to the Aquifer and potentially extend its <br />effective life. Many positive steps in this direction are already underway <br />and the rate of aquifer depletion has been reduced in some areas. <br /> <br />There is a wide range of potential means for reducing unit water demand <br />while maintaining and even improving productivity or net income from irri- <br />gated farming operations in the High Plains. Agricultural management deci- <br />sions such as crop or variety selections which require less water; improved <br />cropping and cultural methods with water use efficiency as a principal <br />objective; applications of new technology such as the use of antitranspirants <br />or evaporation suppressants; improved water use efficiencies through instru- <br />mentation and scheduling for proper timing and quantity of water applica- <br />tions; adoption of irrigation methods, facilities or systems which provide <br />more efficient use and conservation of available waters than those systems! <br />facilities presently in use; and a large number of other management decisions <br />and practices addressed in detail in later sections of this report are all <br />examples of the alternatives and opportunities for achieving reduced unit <br />water demand and conservation of Ogallala waters. Most of these methods are <br />already in use to some extent in parts of the High Plains area. <br /> <br />Many of these measures have already been proven to be technically <br />feasible, cost effective and economically available to High Plains agricul- <br />ture. Some are already in extensive use. Others are still in research or <br />demonstration stages but show significant promise for the region. Some on- <br />farm measures are well within the individual farmer's economic ability to <br />apply while others would require some incentives through governmental <br /> <br />xx <br />