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<br />001009 <br /> <br />pollution problem. An example is federal funding of improvements to local domestic water <br /> <br />supply systell1S in the midwCst that has actuaUy reduced the level of concern with protecting the <br /> <br /> <br />quality of the groundwater supplies. <br /> <br />Bankin~ conserved water.. Irrigation districts could be permitted to bank: any water they <br /> <br /> <br />conserve as is done in tbe case of the Snake River in Idaho. As with the regulatory <br /> <br /> <br />requirements discussed below, a banking allowance would create a comfort factor for those <br /> <br /> <br />district board members who may want to implement water conservation measures but do not <br /> <br />want to take action contrary to tbe interests of their constitueDCY, Unlike regulatory <br /> <br />requirements, a banking aUowance is a positive approach tbat may be more favorable to <br />legislators, <br /> <br />ImpOsition of a fee schedule. This really functions as an economic disincentive, because <br /> <br />it would impose a tax or fee based on tbe level of irrigation practices that contribute to water <br /> <br /> <br />quality degradation. However, it is an idea that legislators are beginning to choose over specific <br /> <br /> <br />practice regulation. Iowa recently adopted a fee structure, along with establishing a center to <br /> <br /> <br />conduct research in this area, The Iowa fee structure increases taxes on fertilizer and pesticide <br /> <br />use, There was II specific legislative policy decision not to regulate, not to take any action <br /> <br />except to impose finilDcial disincentives on the USe of fertilizers and pesticides, a tax on their <br /> <br />use. Essentially this tax works to focus funcls" on fanners who are creating runoff problems: <br /> <br />Internal incentives. Several irrigation districts are attempting to deal witb internal <br /> <br /> <br />problems thlit may be addressed through measures that could improve water quality. Examples <br /> <br />are the drainage problem in some California irrigation distric;ts th~t may be corrected through <br /> <br /> <br />31 <br />