Laserfiche WebLink
<br />MAY 1982 <br /> <br />1- <br /> <br />V. PLAN FORMULATION AND THE ALTERNATIVE PLANS <br /> <br />Three basic solutions were evaluated in plan formulation. Under the <br /> <br />first solution the effects of onfarm management of irrigation water using <br /> <br />existing irrigation systems and methods were examined. Effective and <br /> <br />efficient irrigation requires uniform application of water across the field <br /> <br />while applying the needed amount of water. Measuring devices are needed to <br /> <br />measure the rate at which water is delivered to the field. The duration of <br /> <br />flow must be carefully timed to assure application of the proper amount of <br /> <br />water. Thus, the management only solution requires controlling the time of <br /> <br />each irrigation set and the flow rate supplemented by installing water <br /> <br />measuring devices. This solution assumes that, using manual labor, <br /> <br />irrigators will use the recommended flow rate and will irrigate to the <br /> <br />recommended time of set thus reducing the volume of deep percolation and <br /> <br />volume of runoff from each field. The recommended flow rate and the time of <br /> <br />set, calculated for each field, will be part of the landowner's conservation <br /> <br />plan. <br /> <br />The second solution considers only ditch lining where existing earth <br /> <br />ditches would be replaced by pipelines or by gated pipe to reduce seepage. <br /> <br />A significant share of the salt load pickup is attributed to seepage frot:J <br /> <br />earth ditches. Reorganization of planned systems will require that water be <br /> <br />delivered to the farm at the proper location, elevation, quantity and <br /> <br />pressure suited to planned improvements. Therefore, the ditch lining <br /> <br />solution examined the cost and the effect of implementing a program for <br /> <br />lining existing ditches or installing pipelines or gated pipe and includes <br /> <br />improving the off-farm group ditches for water delivery below the Montezuma <br /> <br />Valley Irrigation System. Additionally, onfarm improvements will include <br /> <br />control valves that accomodate semi-automated timing devices to shut off the <br /> <br />flow of water at the prescribed time. <br /> <br />However, installation of <br /> <br />semi-automatic <br /> <br />8'" ,.. <br />r,. n, '. {J <br />~ .- <br /> <br />V-I <br />