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<br />00'0'3'82 <br /> <br />Application of Irri~ation Water <br /> <br />Many irrigators do not get the most effective use out of the water <br />they apply to crops. This fai lure may be due to one or more of the <br />following conditions: <br /> <br />(1) Applying water in excess of plant requirements causing <br />moisture penetration below plant roots, <br /> <br />(2) Allowing excess to flow out of fields unused, <br /> <br />(3) Fai lure to apply water at the optimum time for plant use, <br /> <br />(4) Fai ling to have fields properly shaped for even distribution <br />of irrigation water, and <br /> <br />(5) Wasting water through Inefficient field distribution systems. <br /> <br />Present Needs and Opportunities <br />Surface Water Systems <br /> <br />Table 19 summarizes the opportunities for <br />water systems presently experiencing problems. <br />according to the type of problem are discussed <br />graphs. <br /> <br />Improving the 57 surface <br />Improvement opportunities <br />in the following para- <br /> <br />Water Supply. The water supply of water-short systems can be <br />improved by developing new sources of supply, either surface or ground, <br />and by reducing present losses. Reservoirs to store off-season and <br />flood flows are usually given first consideration. This course has <br />already been used by most irrigation systems to improve their supplies. <br />They are presently using the better reservoir sites and have obtained <br />permits to store and use most off-season flows originating above presently <br />Irrigated areas. Ground water has been used by Individual irrigators <br />to supplement surface supplies in systems in the Lodgepole Creek and <br />Platte River Valleys as wel I as in other areas. A proposal has been <br />advanced to install 17 wells along canals and major laterals of the <br />Mirage Flats Project. The operation of these wells would be integrated <br />with existing surface water supplies and facilities to reduce the amount <br />of water presently being lost out the ends of the canals. <br /> <br />A primary remaining opportunity of improving water supplies is <br />reorganization and rehab I litation of distribution systems. Additional <br />storage for regulation has been proposed for the Tri-County Irrigation <br />District in the Middle Platte River Basin. This would enable the district <br />to re-regulate water supplies to better meet the irrigation water demands <br />and decrease the period of time that the main canal would need to be <br />operated at its full capacity, thereby decreasing losses. Supplemental <br />water storage Is also needed for the North and Middle Loup Projects. <br /> <br />Canal Losses. A major Irrigation system need is to reduce water <br />losses from the canals and laterals. Nearly all systems have this <br /> <br />40 <br />