Laserfiche WebLink
<br />16 <br /> <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />o The process could comprise a number of relatively small <br />projects each designed to serve a specific subregion(s) <br />of the High Plains area. <br /> <br />o The environmental impacts would be relatively small. <br />There would be construction impacts. Drawing down water <br />levels beneath the additional lands might adversely <br />affect some wetlands and stream base flows. <br /> <br />New state statutes or amendments to current statutes would <br />be necessary to authorize the acquisition and transfer of <br />ground water rights or the acquisition of surface irriga- <br />tion developme.nt rights. Creation of new water resource <br />management agenci es with adequate powers and fundi ng, or <br />major expansions in the powers, funding and areas encom- <br />passed of existing agencies, would be necessary. However, <br />large interstate management agencies probably would not be <br />req u ired. <br /> <br />5) Playa lake modifications - playa lakes or other natural <br />depressions occurring on noncultivated areas through~ut <br />much of the High Plains Region can be modified to decrease <br />evaporative losses and/or increase water infiltration as a <br />water conservation method. Most playas are typically <br />shallow, extensive (ten or more acres) areas which catch <br />natura 1 runoff on an intermittent basi s. Modifi cati ons <br />include diverting playa waters to nearby cultivated areas, <br />construction of pits to provide deeper, less extensive <br />water areas and thus reduce evaporative losses, and other <br />practices. <br /> <br />The High Plains-Ogallala Aquifer area is endowed throughout <br />most of its geographic extent with natural surface water <br />catchment basins. These are shallow surface depressions, <br />