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<br />Title I Program <br />Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act <br /> <br />clogging in trickle irrigation systems, <br />managing pressure irrigation systems for <br />citrus crops, managing dead-level irrigation, <br />automating surface irrigation, and <br />evaluating alternative irrigation systems. <br />All projects were completed by 1980. <br /> <br />Education and ,"Ionnat/on Program <br /> <br />The objectives of this program, conducted by <br />the University of Arizona Cooperative <br />Extension Service, were (1) to provide <br />liaison among the various irrigation <br />efficiency programs and (2) to educate and <br />encourage growers to adopt recommended <br />techniques and practices. Program <br />information was provided through pub- <br />lications, television, and radio. With grower <br />cooperation, field trials were held to <br />demonstrate water management benefits, <br />and field days were conducted on topics <br />such as automated irrigation systems, <br />irrigation scheduling and efficiency, and <br />crop consumptive use. <br /> <br />Federal Cost Share <br /> <br />Table 1 shows the Federal cost share of the <br />WMIDD irrigation drainage reduction <br />program. <br /> <br />Results <br /> <br />Before the program was initiated, WMIDD <br />irrigation efficiency was 56 percent. While <br />the program was active, overall WMIDD <br />irrigation efficiencies exceeded 72 percent, <br />the level estimated to reduce irrigation <br />drainage to 108,000 acre-feet per year. An <br />overall peak irrigation efficiency of 77 per- <br />cent was reached in 1985, and irrigation <br />drainage dropped from 220,000 acre-feet to <br />a low of 118,500 acre-feet per year. <br /> <br />Table 1.-Federal cost share <br />WMIDD iITigation drainage reduction program <br /> <br />Soil Conservation Service <br />Technical assistance <br />Onfann improvements <br /> <br />$ 4,200,000 <br />$17,600,000 <br /> <br />Agricultural Research Service <br />Research and demonstrations <br /> <br />$ 600,000 <br /> <br />Bureau of Reclamation <br />Acreage reduction program <br />Irrigation Management Service <br />Education on irrigation efficiency <br />Technical Field Committee <br />activities <br />Administrative costs <br /> <br />$11,700,000 <br />$ 2,000,000 <br />$ 60,000 <br /> <br />$ 400,000 <br />$ 2.440.000 <br /> <br />Total cost ofWMIDD iITigation <br />drainage reduction program <br /> <br />$39,000,000 <br /> <br />While the program demonstrated an overall <br />positive effect, a cause-and-effect relation- <br />ship for individual measures has never been <br />established. 2 <br /> <br />Status <br /> <br />All permanent measures implemented by <br />the WMIDD are still in use, although no <br />active Federal program is currently in <br />operation. Total crop acres have remained <br />relatively stable since the early 1970's <br />because more acreage is double-cropped <br />than when the program was initiated. <br />Irrigation efficiency has declined to about <br />60 percent and is continuing to decrease. <br /> <br />Irrigation drainage pumping has increased <br />to about 145,000 acre-feet per year and <br />diversion rates are increasing because of <br />several factors, including some changes <br />from permanent to vegetable crops. <br /> <br />, 2 MeaalU'e8 {or Reducing Return Flow. {rom the Welllon.Mohawlc lrigation and Drainage DutMct. Annual <br />RepOrl of Actioiti.. of 1982. the Advisory Committee on Irrigation Efficiency, Wellten-Mohawk Irrigation and <br />Drainage District, March 1983. <br /> <br />14 <br />