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1060 COMMENTARY It should be emphasized that much of the value of this study, includ- ing the proposed plan for augmentation, is dependent upon the accuracy of gross consumptive use estimates made by the Lowry-Johnson method, and there is evidence to indicate that this method underestimates consumptive use. Investigation to determine the most accurate method will be high on the priority list of future studies, and recalculation of affected items will be done if required. The proposed plan for augmentation must be regarded as preliminary for another reason. It has been assumed that the water judge will limit the water supply to the amount that can be put to beneficial use. The opinion of the staff of the Water Conservation Board is that it is the intent of Senate Bill No. 81 to impose such a limit; thus, maximizing the beneficial use of the state's total water resources. If the water judge interprets the law differently the plan will have to be revised. Mr. C. T. Jenkins of the U.S.G.S. District Office has reviewed the proposed plan for augmentation and has pointed out a possible flaw in the plan - "residual stream depletion at beginning of next season due to pumping 58 cfs for 60 days would be almost 2 cfs. Remedy - construct recharge trench and re- charge during the winter the amount pumped during the Summer. Trench should be as far from the river as possible." This will be investigated, possibly, by con- struction of a digital model of the Oxford Farmers system and testing the proposed plan for augmentation under historic conditions beginning with irrigation season 1949. This should reveal any problems that might develop from use of the plan. The study will extend through irrigation seasons 1971 and 1972. The additional data should allow a general improvement in the analyses. Water bud- get computations and ground water quality aspects are good examples. We plan to make measurements which could lead to better estimates of irrigation effi- ciency (i.e., canal, lateral and farm losses). An aquifer test planned for the ~pring of 1971 would result in a better estimate of specific yield and a better understanding of the aquifer. In addition, there is the possibility of a dry year, and a dry year is really when this type of study would have the most benefi ts. We wish to thank the irrigators of the Oxford Farmers system, the U. S. Geological Survey and the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation for their coopera- tion in this study. - 26 -