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<br />- <br /> <br />(sh~) <br /> <br />Market Pricing Of Water <br /> <br />If the price of water reflected the cost of developing and distributing <br /> <br />it, several results would follow. Surely the <br /> <br />cost of water would be far <br /> <br />water conservation.94 ~, <br /> <br />irrigation practices would be discontinued and some crops would not be pro- <br /> <br />higher. This would be an incentive to greater <br /> <br />duced as demand declined in response to rising prices. <br /> <br />Market pricing is inhibited by political resistance, especially where it <br /> <br />would cause difficulties for farmers and ranchers. Yet the surviving agricul- <br /> <br />tural enterprises might enjoy a strong, profitable business if prices for <br /> <br />their products reflected the increased costs. This depends in part on whether <br /> <br />they could or would need to compete with similar products from other regions. <br /> <br />A boost to market-pricing could result from major transfers from agricultural <br /> <br />to municipal or industrial users (such as from Imperial Valley users to the' <br /> <br />Metropolitan Water District), or payments to Indian tribes by other users. <br />~~ <br />These ~m~put a value on water that has been lacking in the past. <br /> <br />(sh2) <br /> <br />Changes In State Water Law <br /> <br />Western water law is little more than a century old and it has evolved <br /> <br />considerably during its short life. It remains dynamic, responding to chang- <br /> <br />ing conditions and new needs. There are some identifiable trends in water law <br /> <br />today that may affect management of the Colorado River in the future. <br /> <br />(sh3) <br /> <br />Conservation and Waste. The conservation of water can alleviate many <br /> <br />present and future water requitements, posing a partial solution to the pro- <br /> <br />blems of feared shortages in the Colorado River Basin. Just as the United <br /> <br />States "found" a significant supply of oil through conservation during the <br /> <br />energy crisis of the 1970's, more water can be found through water saving <br /> <br />measures- <br /> <br />- 27 - <br />