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<br />~r. <br />,t-;", <br /> <br />r:~ <br /> <br />Fish and wildlife habitat will be replaced through a cost-shared <br />voluntary effort for development and enhancement measures. These <br />measures can include ponds, pond lining, islands, level ditching, field <br />borders, tree and shrub planting, food production areas, nesting cover, <br />fencing, and livestock exclusion. The cost for development and <br />enhancement measures is estimated at $722,500. This figure includes <br />$592,400 for construction and $130,100 for technical assistance and <br />engineering services by the SCS. <br /> <br />~' <br />'iI<l<I <br />t,\: <br />t:~; <br /> <br />Other implementation costs for the salinity project are estimated at <br />$1,350,000. This cost includes $550,000 for the CES for conducting a <br />salinity information and education program and $800,000 to the SCS to <br />monitor and evaluate the effects of project measures on the salinity <br />contribution to the Big Sandy River. <br /> <br />""'. <br /> <br />Table 4-3 gives a more detailed display of installation cost <br />distribution of the Selected Plan. <br /> <br />Onfarm Irrigation Water Management <br /> <br />, <br />:<;'. <br /> <br />The Selected Plan of low-pressure sprinkler irrigation systems and other <br />irrigation water management practices will increase onfarm irrigation <br />efficiency by approximately 29 percent. Deep percolation, evaporation, <br />and drift loss from the sprinklers will account for the remaining <br />losses. The off-farm conveyance loss will remain at about the same <br />volume which will result in a higher percent of smaller diversions: <br />72 percent in the future with project versus 82 percent for present <br />conditions. The onfarm improvements therefore result in a project <br />efficiency increase from 32 percent to 50 percent. The increase of <br />project efficiency of 29 percent will reduce deep percolation to the <br />groundwater aquifer by about 20,470 acre-feet per year and reduce salt <br />inflow to the Big Sandy River by 52,900 tons annually. See Table 4-4 <br />for the Present Condition Vs. Future With Implementation of the <br />Selected Plan. <br /> <br />(" <br /> <br />Economic Benefits <br /> <br />~:,~' <br />ft <br />., <br /> <br />Onfarm benefits will result from increased hay production of about <br />2 tons per acre per year. This value is based on actual interviews with <br />landowners who are currently using low-pressure sprinkler systems in the <br />project area. The actual average yields increased by more than 2 tons <br />of hay annually for those interviewed, but for project analysis only <br />2 tons per acre were used. Present average yields of alfalfa vary from <br />1.6 tons/acre to more than 4 tons/acre. Increased yields are being <br />realized because crops grown under low-pressure sprinkler systems start <br />and grow faster during the first 2 or 3 weeks in the spring. <br />Low-pressure sprinklers allow irrigators to apply only the amount of <br />water the crops need to begin growth, which provides the benefit. The <br />low-pressure sprinkler method does not cool the soil like the present <br />methods of irrigation. Flood irrigation early in the spring, in order <br />to fill the soil profile, uses large quantities of very cold water, <br />which reduces soil temperatures and slows plant growth. Low-pressure <br /> <br />i._.' <br /> <br />4-5 <br /> <br />i':" 111.:;'" <br />\.} 'v ..L -.# . <br />