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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Mi1 Q"1 _ ,,__ .,-,-v'(j " the land overlying the recharge area. A system for recap- turing such waters, allocating (by sales) to users, and a cost effective distribution system would be needed. Institutional constraints include existing state water laws, property rights, and a general lack of institutional mechanisms to administer and operate recharge projects. These projects would typically be beyond the capabilities of individual land- owners and would require regional, state and/or federal coor- dination and support. An additional economic consideration is the cost of recovery of waters recharged into the aquifer. The technology for artificial recharge by means of injection wells, pits, shafts or other structural subsurface methods is not well established and does not offer any large scale recharge opportunites at this time. 2. Land treatment and modification - on-site methods for improving effective soil moisture storage and deep percolation on both cultivated and noncultivated areas. a. Noncultivated areas - over 100 million acres in the High Plains Study Region. 1) Pitting/chiseling - land treatment practices on nonculti- vated lands (rangelands and forest areas, etc.) to capture more precipitation in-place and increase infiltration is possible through various pitting, chiseling, water spreading diversions and other methods. Runoff from such lands can be reduced by as much as 50 percent and effective deep percolation to ground water storage can be increased accordingly. Not only can ground water storage be improved but more favorable soil moisture conditions achieved for better forage production on treated lands as well. 11