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<br />what could be done to improve present conditions and practices to reduce <br /> <br />salt ,loading. These activities were directed toward quantifying answers to <br /> <br />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, land leveling, field <br /> <br />drains and improved irrigation water management. Revegetation of range- <br /> <br />land and control of grazing livestock will be needed to reduce runoff <br /> <br />that contributes to erosion of salt laden soils. <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 downtream users. <br /> <br />3. What will be the effect on salinity contributions to the Colorado River? <br /> <br />Salt loading will be reduced through reducing deep percolation and ditch <br /> <br />seepage from irrigation with an increase in irrigation efficiency, and <br /> <br />from reducing runoff and erosion from the upland watershed. <br /> <br />Scope of Study <br /> <br />The scope of the study was limited to inventorying and analyzing <br /> <br />current onfarm irrigation systems and management practices on about 107,000 <br /> <br />acres of irrigated land and 320 miles of off-farm canals and laterals. <br /> <br />Results of these analyses were expanded to be representative of the approxi- <br /> <br />mately 171,000 acres of irrigated land and about 485 miles of canals and <br /> <br />laterals in the Lower Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Valleys. This study <br /> <br />does not include analysis of seepage from the canals and laterals <br /> <br />comprising <br /> <br />Qa12GU <br /> <br />11-3 <br />