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<br />MAY IQ82 <br /> <br />USDA activities include determining the present salt loading and <br /> <br />evaluating the existing condition of onfarm irrigation systems and <br /> <br />management practices to determine what could be done to improve these <br /> <br />conditions and practices to reduce salt loading. These activities were <br /> <br />directed toward quantifying answers to three basic questions: <br /> <br />1. What is the magnitude of onfarm improvement needs? Onfarm irrigation <br /> <br />improvements include ditch lining or pipelines with appropriate water <br /> <br />control structures, onfarm water measuring devices, and irrigation water <br /> <br />managemen t . <br /> <br />2. What are the estimated installation costs, the level of funding required <br /> <br />for program implementation, and the magnitude of benefits to be derived <br /> <br />from implementing needed improvements? Benefits will accrue locally as <br /> <br />well as nationally and internationally. Local benefits include reduced <br /> <br />costs of production, improved irrigation systems and increased crop <br /> <br />yields. National and international benefits accrue through improved <br /> <br />quality of water available for downstream users. <br /> <br />3. What will be the effect on salinity contributions to the Colorado River? <br /> <br />Salt loading will be reduced through decreasing deep percolation and <br /> <br />ditch seepage from irrigation with an increase in irrigation <br /> <br />efficiency. <br /> <br />Scope of Study <br /> <br />The scope of the study was limited to inventorying and analyzing <br /> <br />current irrigation systems and management practices on a sample of the <br /> <br />irrigated land and off-farm laterals. Results of these analyses were <br /> <br />expanded to be representative of the approximately 29,100 acres of irrigated <br /> <br />land and about 235 miles of laterals in the HcElmo Creek <br /> <br />Drainage Area. <br />r\ll'! Q29 <br />can!iJ.sJ "'o'1l\pris ing <br /> <br />This study does not include analysis of seepage from the <br /> <br />II-3 <br />