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<br />00:n2'1 <br /> <br />transfers in regulatory/environmental review of agricultural water use; and (5) mechanisms for <br /> <br />groundwater control. Many of these areas must be solved by lOCal initiative and leadership, <br /> <br /> <br />although there are some areas where state policy and legislation may play an important role. <br /> <br />Historical and Policy Contat <br /> <br />It may be useful to set the historical and policy context before addressing the challenges <br /> <br /> <br />facing irrigation organizations. Below, I offer a brief review of the development of irrigation <br /> <br /> <br />organizations in the west, and the potential magnitude of transfers from agriculture to meet <br /> <br /> <br />growing municipal water demands. Summary: Agriculture must make the largest percentage <br /> <br /> <br />reductions in water use to meet growth in urban water use in the states with: (1) the significant <br /> <br /> <br />reliance on groundwater, and (2) the highest share of irrigated acreage in irrigation <br /> <br /> <br />organizations served by irrigation districts. <br /> <br />A Brief Historical Sketch of the Development of Irrigation Organizations <br /> <br />What are the various types of irrigation organizations? How did they come into existence? <br /> <br />How important are they today in managing agricultural water in the west? <br /> <br />Early western water development was dominated by private ownership. Individual <br /> <br /> <br />partnerships and mutual irrigation companies financed water diversion and distnbution among <br /> <br />members according to private contract. State incorporation laws established mutual irrigation <br /> <br />4 <br />