Attachment 3 - Guide for Ag WC Planning.pdf

ACHIEVING EFFICIENT

WATER MANAGEMENT

A Guidebook for Preparing Agricultural Water Conservation Plans

December 1996

Prepared by

SECOND EDITION

September 2000

Updated by

Bureau of Reclamation

Table of Contents i

Table of Contents

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv

SECTION ONE – INTRODUCTION

WHY RECLAMATION PREPARED THIS GUIDEBOOK

WATER CONSERVATION VERSUS WATER MANAGEMENT

WHO SHOULD USE THIS GUIDEBOOK?

WHAT IS GOOD WATER MANAGEMENT?

WHY DO WATER MANAGEMENT PLANNING?

Benefits of Good Water Management Planning Pitfalls Avoided by Good Water Management Planning Organization of this Guidebook

SECTION TWO – THE PLANNING PROCESS

OVERVIEW

The Importance of Public Involvement

STEP 1 – INFORMATION GATHERING

Overview Checklist of Information Needs

STEP 2 – IDENTIFYING AND PRIORITIZING ISSUES

Overview Identifying Issues Water Budget Concept Checklist of Typical Issue Areas Setting Priorities

STEP 3 – SETTING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

What are Goals?

Goal Setting Example Goal Statements ii

STEP 4 – IDENTIFYING CANDIDATE MEASURES CAPABLE OF

ACHIEVING SPECIFIC GOALS

STEP 5 – EVALUATING THE CANDIDATE MEASURES

Overview Describing the Effects of Candidate Measures Displaying and Comparing Your Evaluations

STEP 6 – DEFINING A PLAN OF ACTION

Overview Selecting Measures for Implementation Other General Considerations Projecting Results of Selected Measures Preparing an Implementation Schedule and Budget Preparing a Monitoring Program

STEP 7 – IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN OF ACTION

STEP 8 – MONITORING IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS

STEP 9 – EVALUATING PROGRESS AND UPDATING THE PLAN

SECTION THREE – CATALOG OF WATER MANAGEMENT MEASURES . . 65

FUNDAMENTAL WATER MANAGEMENT MEASURES

Water Measurement and Accounting Systems Water Pricing Structure Educational Programs Designating a Water Conservation Coordinator

INSTITUTIONAL WATER MANAGEMENT MEASURES

Water Shortage Contingency Plan On-farm Conservation Incentives Water Transfers Land Management

OPERATIONAL WATER MANAGEMENT MEASURES

Improved Operating Procedures Distribution Control System-wide Irrigation Scheduling On-farm Irrigation Scheduling Conjunctive Use

FACILITIES-RELATED WATER MANAGEMENT MEASURES

Construction of Regulatory Reservoirs Lining of Canals and Reservoirs Water Reuse Systems Installation of Remote or Automated Controls iii

SECTION FOUR – ASSEMBLING A WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN

WHY DO YOU NEED A WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN DOCUMENT? . 100

SUGGESTED OUTLINE FOR THE PLAN DOCUMENT

Management Plan Document – Suggested Outline

SPRINGFIELD IRRIGATION DISTRICT WATER

MANAGEMENT PLAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Example Plan-1

GLOSSARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G-1

APPENDIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1

Resources - Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2 Resources - Consumptive Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-6

LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES

Figure 1: The Planning Process Table 1: The Process for Preparing and Implementing Water

Management (Conservation Plans) Figure 2: Typical Components of a Water Budget Figure 3: Ideal Water Measurement System Table 2: Example Monthly Water Budget Figure 4: Evaluation Matrix Figure 5: Types of Water Pricing Structures Figure 6: Water Conservation Through Improvements in System-wide

Irrigation Scheduling Figure 7: Irrigation Scheduling Based on Soil Moisture Status Figure 8: Conjunctive Use Program Which Takes Advantage of a

Nearby Groundwater Supply Figure 9: A Possible Demand and Supply Relationship and the Potential

Benefit in Flexibility from Regulatory Storage Figure 10: Irrigation Water Reuse Systems to Capture Spills and Drainage

Abbreviations and Acronyms iv

Abbreviations and Acronyms af acre-foot Act Clean Water Act CAP Central Arizona Project CCID Central California Irrigation District CIMIS California Irrigation Management Information System CVP Central Valley Project Districts Arnold and North Unit Irrigation Districts EA Environmental Assessment EIS Environmental Impact Statement EPA Environmental Protection Agency ESA Endangered Species Act ET evapotranspiration FIRI Farm Irrigation Rating Index Guidebook Achieving Efficient Water Management: A Guidebook for Preparing

Agricultural Water Conservation Plans Handbook Incentive Pricing Handbook for Agricultural Water Districts IMS Irrigation Management Service M&I municipal and industrial maf million acre feet MWD Metropolitan Water District of Southern California NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service NCWCD Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District O&M operation and maintenance Reclamation U.S. Bureau of Reclamation RRA Reclamation Reform Act USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture USGS U.S. Geological Survey Warren Act Warren Act of February 21, 1991 WCUA Water Conservation and Utilization Act

Introduction

SECTION ONE – INTRODUCTION

This section provides an overview of what this Guidebook is about, including:

L Why the Bureau of Reclamation prepared this Guidebook

L Water conservation versus water management

L Who should use this Guidebook

L What is good water management

L Why do water management planning

L Organization of the Guidebook

Section One

WHY RECLAMATION PREPARED THIS GUIDEBOOK

The Bureau of Reclamation prepared this Guidebook to help agricultural water districts and irrigation organizations prepare water conservation and management plans to achieve more efficient water use. The Guidebook is aimed at organizations of all sizes and complexities, both Federally-supplied and private.

The first edition of this Guidebook was prepared in 1996 by Hydrosphere Resource Consultants under contract with Reclamation. As a result of ongoing experience with districts and other organizations, Reclamation determined that the Guidebook required updating. This “Second Edition” has been updated by Reclamation.

Products such as this manual support and strengthen Reclamation's overall water management mission. Through products such as this, Reclamation hopes to cooperatively work with others to improve water resource management and the efficiency of water use throughout the western United States. In particular, this manual supports Reclamation's responsibility under the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 (Sections 210a and 210b) and other Reclamation law, to encourage more efficient water use by the districts it serves.

WATER CONSERVATION VERSUS WATER MANAGEMENT

One objective of this Guidebook is to help districts prepare water conservation plans called for in Section 210(b) of the Reclamation Reform Act. However, the methods and measures described in the Guidebook are more broadly aimed at helping districts improve their overall water management. The term “water conservation” has different meanings to different people.

To some, it even has negative connotations. Therefore, when “water conservation” is used in this Guidebook, it means “good water management and efficient water use.” We encourage you to take this broader view as you use this Guidebook.

WHO SHOULD USE THIS GUIDEBOOK

This Guidebook is meant to be used by irrigators, the managers and staff of irrigation organizations, consultants hired by irrigation organizations, States, and others to improve water management at the farm and the district level. Throughout this Guidebook, the term "you" refers to district management and staff members or others responsible for preparation of water management plans.

WHAT IS GOOD WATER MANAGEMENT?

To the farmer, good water management means getting the right amount of water to the crops at the right time with minimum labor and expense. If this can be accomplished without creating other problems, such as a build-up of salt in the soil or losing water to spills and seepage, so much the better.

To the irrigation district or ditch company, good water management means meeting the water needs of its customers as efficiently as possible, with minimum waste or loss. Good water management is, therefore, fundamentally important to good overall district management.

To society, good water management means having adequate supplies of good quality water for all municipal, industrial, agricultural, recreational, and environmental needs. Those in charge of operating water supply and delivery systems bear the greatest burden of responsibility for promoting and achieving the good water management demanded by society.

WHY DO WATER MANAGEMENT PLANNING?

Planning is the process of thinking ahead to achieve desired future outcomes and to avoid undesired future pitfalls. It is something we all do at many levels every day of our lives.

There are benefits to be gained and risks to be avoided by water management planning.

Benefits of Good Water Management Planning

Water management planning can benefit both the irrigation district and the irrigator, as well as third parties and the environment. The range of potential benefits includes:

• Better water service to customers

• More effective use of available water supply

• Reduced operating costs

• Improved revenues to the district

• Improved crop yields and quality

• Reduced on-farm costs

• Development of additional water supply capabilities

• Improved water quality and aquatic habitat

• Habitat maintenance for endangered species

• Better documentation of uses and accomplishments

• Education of customers and the public

• Diminished groundwater overdraft

• Improved system and water supply reliability

• Postponed need for new or expanded water supplies

• Reduced drought impacts

Pitfalls Avoided by Good Water Management Planning

There are a variety of problems and pitfalls that can be avoided by good water management planning. Some of these could affect the district and its customers immediately and others could pose future threats. Some examples of undesirable situations that might be avoided through good planning are:

• Daily and seasonal water shortages

• Excessive losses or spills from water delivery systems

• Over- or under-application of water on farm fields

• Insufficient carryover supplies in reservoirs

• Loss of water rights through waste or abandonment

• Adverse relationships with other water users and the public

• Drainage and erosion control problems

• Ill-timed water deliveries to farm fields

• De-watered streams and wetlands

Organization of this Guidebook

This Guidebook is divided into four main sections.

Section One is this introductory section of the Guidebook.

Section Two describes a step-by-step planning process that will enable you to identify the most effective water management improvements to make first.

Section Three is a catalog containing brief descriptions of a range of common agricultural water management measures. It contains questions and checklists to help you decide which measures might best help you achieve your goals.

Section Four is a brief guide to preparing a water management plan document for your Board of Directors, operations staff and customers, and for others. It contains a suggested outline for the document and provides examples of how different types of information might be presented.

At the back of the Guidebook, you will find a glossary of terms and lists of references for further information and assistance.

In order to help you better understand the concepts and methods presented in this Guidebook, we have created a "story" about a hypothetical irrigation district. This story, which appears in a series of boxes such as the one below, describes how the district goes about developing a water management plan. The resulting plan is shown as an example in Section Four.

Springfield Irrigation District is a small irrigation district in the West established in the early 1900s. It diverts below Spring Mountain Reservoir on the South Fork, a stream that peaks during spring runoff. For irrigation, the district uses its natural flow water rights in the early season and takes storage water in the late season. The climate and soils are such that Springfield's farmers grow mostly alfalfa, grass hay, and corn. For the most part, they use flood and contour ditch irrigation methods.

Every farmer in the district pays assessments based on the number of acres he or she owns. The district uses these assessments to fund operations and capital improvements, but for the past several years, the assessments have gone almost entirely to repairing the same section of the main canal. A growing number of farmers in the district are complaining that their annual assessments aren't being fairly applied to improving services. One of these farmers, Sid, is on the district's Board of Directors.

Another growing problem is the district's relationship with the local community. A recent Springfield Herald headline read, "District Draws Reservoir Down, Marina Left High and Dry." Though the district has been operating the same way for decades, it is suddenly facing more and more criticism from the public.

This year, to address these and other district problems, Springfield's district manager, Ron, has decided to propose that the district develop a water management plan. He intends to sell his idea of a water management plan to the Board of Directors by pointing out that, not only will they finally address the farmers' complaints, they will avoid mistakes made in the past when they took too narrow a view, they'll improve their image with the public and they'll be a step ahead of other districts in the basin when it comes time to seek project financing and renegotiate water supply contracts.

The Planning Process

SECTION TWO – THE PLANNING PROCESS

This section of the Guidebook will introduce you to the planning process. It will:

L Outline a systematic but flexible planning process

L Help you identify water management issues and set appropriate goals

L Help you evaluate potential ways to achieve goals and resolve issues

L Help you decide what water management improvements or activities should become part of your action plan

Section Two

OVERVIEW

Every-day life is an ongoing process of identifying issues, setting goals, and completing tasks to accomplish a desired outcome. The planning process is just a logical sequence of decision-making steps or activities that can be followed to achieve some desired outcome. Steps in the process include:

1. Gathering information

2. Identifying and prioritizing issues

3. Setting goals and objectives

4. Identifying candidate measures capable of achieving the goals

5. Evaluating the candidate measures

6. Defining a plan of action

7. Implementing the plan of action

8. Monitoring implementation progress

9. Evaluating progress and updating the plan

There is nothing magical or complicated about this sequence of activities. If you think about it a little bit, you will realize that you use this thought process for almost every decision you make. In the context of water management, it is simply used as a framework to ensure a systematic and thorough decision-making process.

The nine planning steps described above are shown in a sequential, step-by-step order. However, the planning process often requires going back and forth between steps. For example, it is very common to determine, in the course of evaluating options, that further information gathering is needed.

It is this back-and-forth approach that makes planning a process, as shown in Figure 1, rather than a product. The product (in this case a water management plan) should be viewed as a “snapshot” of an ongoing process, taken at a specific point in time for the purpose of implementing particular management measures.

Water management planning should be viewed as an ongoing activity and not as a one-time effort. Situations change, new technologies arise, and issues may be seen in a new light. As a result, plans become outdated. Water management planning must become a routine part of district management to be effective in the long run.

Each of the nine planning steps shown in Figure 1 are discussed in detail in this section. Hopefully, by the time you have read through the section, you will have a good understanding of the

Figure 1: The Planning Process planning process and how it could be applied to your situation.

Table 1 is provided to help clarify the process. It suggests typical tasks to be performed in each step. It also gives some suggestions concerning who in the organization could be responsible for completing the tasks.

St ep

A ct iv ity

T as ks R es po ns ib le P ar ty

(s

G at he rin g da ta

1.

C ol le ct in fo rm at io n on th e ge ne ra l d es cr ip tio n an d se tti ng o f t he d ist ric t 2.

C ol le ct in fo rm at io n on w at er ri gh ts a nd w at er re so ur ce s 3.

D ev el op a w at er b ud ge t

4.

I de nt ify le ga l, in st itu tio na l, an d en vi ro nm en ta l co ns tr ai nt s an d re qu ire m en ts 5.

D ef in e or d es cr ib e th e cu rr en t w at er m an ag em en t p ro gr am

Pl an p re pa re r1 w ith in pu t f ro m d ist ric t s ta ff an d m an ag em en t;

R ec la m at io n;

o th er fe de ra l, st at e, o r lo ca l w at er a ge nc ie s;

lo ca l s ta ke ho ld er s

Id en tif yi ng a nd p rio rit iz in g iss ue s 1.

I de nt ify is su es

A

St ud y av ai la bl e in fo rm at io n

(s ee

S te p ab ov e)

B

C on du ct o n-sit e to ur s

C

In te rv ie w in di vi du al s ta ke ho ld er s

D

C on du ct b ra in st or m in g se ss io ns w ith st ak eh ol de rs

2.

P rio rit iz e iss ue s

1.

P la n pr ep ar er w ith in pu t f ro m d ist ric t s ta ff an d m an ag em en t;

R ec la m at io n;

o th er fe de ra l, st at e, o r lo ca l w at er a ge nc ie s;

lo ca l s ta ke ho ld er s

2.

D ist ric t g ov er ni ng b oa rd a nd m an ag em en t w ith in pu t f ro m p la n pr ep ar er , d ist ric t s ta ff, a nd lo ca l st ak eh ol de rs

Se tti ng

G oa ls Se t o ne o r m or e co nc ise , q ua nt ifi ab le , a nd m ea su ra bl e go al s fo r e ac h iss ue d et er m in ed to b e re le va nt (s ee S te p

2, T as k ab ov e)

D ist ric t g ov er ni ng b oa rd a nd m an ag em en t w ith in pu t f ro m p la n pr ep ar er

, d ist ric t s ta ff, a nd lo ca l st ak eh ol de rs

1 Th e pl an p re pa re r m ig ht b e a di st ric t e m pl oy ee , a c on su lta nt h ire d by th e di st ric t, or a R ec la m at io n or a no th er a ge nc y’ s te ch ni ca l s pe ci al ist p ro vi di ng a ss ist an ce

Ta bl e 1:

T he

P ro ce ss fo r

P re pa ri ng a nd Im pl em en tin g W at er

M an ag em en t (

C on se rv at io

n) P la ns

St ep

A ct iv ity

T as ks R es po ns ib le P ar ty

(s

Id en tif yi ng c an di da te w at er m an ag em en t m ea su re s an d ac tiv iti es Li st a ll w at er m an ag em en t m ea su re s or a ct iv iti es th at m ig ht c on tr ib ut e to th e ac co m pl ish m en t o f ea ch g oa l

Pl an p re pa re r w ith in pu t f ro m d ist ric t s ta ff an d m an ag em en t;

R ec la m at io n;

o th er fe de ra l, st at e, o r lo ca l w at er a ge nc ie s, lo ca l s ta ke ho ld er s

Ev al ua tin g ca nd id at e m ea su re s

Ev al ua te a nd c om pa re th e ca nd id at e m ea su re s id en tif ie d in

S te p co ns id er in g th e fo llo w in g fa ct or s:

B en ef its p ro vi de d by e ac h m ea su re

C os t o f i m pl em en tin g ea ch m ea su re

A cc ep ta bi lit y of e ac h m ea su re to s ta ke ho ld er s

Ea se o f i m pl em en tin g ea ch m ea su re

Le ga l o r i ns tit ut io na l c on st ra in ts a ss oc ia te d w ith ea ch m ea su re

En vi ro nm en ta l i m pa ct s as so ci at ed w ith e ac h m ea su re

Pl an p re pa re r w ith in pu t f ro m d ist ric t s ta ff an d m an ag em en t;

R ec la m at io n;

o th er fe de ra l, st at e, o r lo ca l w at er a ge nc ie s;

lo ca l s ta ke ho ld er s

D ev el op in g w at er m an ag em en t p ro gr am 1.

S el ec t m ea su re s an d ac tiv iti es to b e in cl ud ed in th e w at er m an ag em en t p ro gr am

2.

E st ab lis h a sc he du le fo r i m pl em en tin g ea ch in di vi du al m ea su re

3.

D et er m in e re so ur ce s

(s ta ff tim e, m on ey fa ci lit ie s, a nd e qu ip m en t) to b e co m m itt ed to im pl em en tin g ea ch in di vi du al m ea su re

4.

I de nt ify m on ito rin g pa ra m et er s an d es ta bl ish m on ito rin g sc he du le 5.

P re pa re w rit te n w at er m an ag em en t p la n do cu m en tin g pr oc es s fo llo w ed , i nf or m at io n co ns id er ed , a nd a do pt ed p la n

1- 4.

D ist ric t g ov er ni ng b oa rd a nd m an ag em en t w ith in pu t f ro m p la n pr ep ar er , d ist ric t s ta ff, te ch ni ca l s pe ci al ist s, a nd lo ca l s ta ke ho ld er s

5.

P la n pr ep ar er w ith in pu t f ro m o th er s ou rc es a s ne ed ed

Ta bl e 1:

T he

P ro ce ss fo r

P re pa ri ng a nd Im pl em en tin g W at er

M an ag em en t (

C on se rv at io

n) P la ns

(C on t.)

St ep

A ct iv ity

T as ks R es po ns ib le P ar ty

(s

Im pl em en tin g w at er m an ag em en t p ro gr am Em pl oy a pp ro pr ia te re so ur ce s to a cc om pl ish th e w at er m an ag em en t p ro gr am fo llo w in g th e sc he du le d ev el op ed a bo ve

D ist ric t g ov er ni ng b oa rd , m an ag em en t a nd s ta ff w ith p os sib le a ss ist an ce fr om te ch ni ca l s pe ci al ist s

M on ito rin g im pl em en ta tio n pr og re ss Fo llo w th e m on ito rin g sc he du le d ev el op ed a bo ve to c ol le ct th e da ta to e va lu at e im pl em en ta tio n pr og re ss

D ist ric t m an ag em en t a nd s ta ff w ith p os sib le as sis ta nc e fr om o th er te ch ni ca l s pe ci al ist s

Ev al ua tin g pr og re ss a nd u pd at in g pl an 1.

E va lu at e pr og re ss b ei ng m ad e in im pl em en tin g th e w at er m an ag em en t p ro gr am to de te rm in e if go al s ar e be in g m et a s pl an ne d

2.

R ev ie w th e pl an a nn ua lly to re fin e iss ue s or go al s, a dd o r d el et e m ea su re s, a dj us t s ch ed ul e, o r re fin e bu dg et

Th e co m pl et e pl an s ho ul d be up da te d an d re su bm itt ed e ve ry y ea rs

1.

D ist ric t m an ag em en t a nd s ta ff w ith p os sib le as sis ta nc e fr om o th er te ch ni ca l s pe ci al ist s

2.

D ist ric t g ov er ni ng b oa rd w ith in pu t f ro m d ist ric t m an ag em en t a nd s ta ff, lo ca l s ta ke ho ld er s, a nd o th er te ch ni ca l s pe ci al ist s

Ta bl e 1:

T he

P ro ce ss fo r

P re pa ri ng a nd Im pl em en tin g W at er

M an ag em en t (

C on se rv at io

n) P la ns

(C on t.)

The Importance of Public Involvement

A basic principle of planning is that it cannot effectively be done in a vacuum. It would be foolhardy to design a new set of policies, procedures, or requirements and attempt to implement them without involving the people affected by them. In many cases, district or ditch company bylaws would prohibit such actions.

For plans to be credible and effective, it is important to obtain consensus and support from district boards of directors and from potentially affected parties. The parties that are most obviously affected by the water management measures described in this Guidebook are water users themselves.

Involving water users in all phases of the planning process is more likely to produce management plans that address real issues in practical ways. If they feel the plan is responsive to their needs and to their input, they will be far more likely to support it.

But there are other important “publics” that can also make significant contributions to plan development. Involving local community leaders, state and federal agency staff, and representatives of various interest groups in the planning process is more than the application of the “two heads are better than one” principle; it also provides a mechanism for obtaining broader perspectives on the issues and can help head off later obstacles to plan implementation.

For these reasons, it is very important to consider public involvement as an integral part of the water management planning process. The goals of public involvement are:

• To build credibility by establishing an open and accessible planning and decision-making process

• To identify and understand the diverse concerns and values of the parties potentially affected by your decisions

• To develop a consensus among these divergent interests in support of your water management plan

Some methods to provide public involvement opportunities include mail questionnaires and information sheets, public meetings and workshops, focus groups and advisory committees, and the use of local media. Reclamation has a substantial amount of experience in developing public involvement programs and has produced a Public Involvement Manual to assist the water resource planner in this area (USDI, 1980). Additional assistance in developing a public involvement program can be obtained from the Water Conservation Coordinator at Reclamation’s Area or Regional office nearest you.

STEP 1 – INFORMATION GATHERING

Overview

The first step in the planning process includes information gathering activities. You probably already have quite a bit of information about your district and its water use, but it may be incomplete or not organized in a way that is helpful in problem-solving. This step of the planning process is meant to “flesh out” information gaps and uncertainties. You must have a clear definition of your circumstances before you can identify and prioritize issues or set goals.

Input from irrigators and others affected by your district’s water use will help you identify important issues. When examined carefully, these issues may turn out to be symptoms of more basic problems. Therefore, you will want to involve a wide range of people at the onset of Step 1, perhaps through an annual shareholder meeting or public meeting.

Checklist of information needs

The first step of the planning process is gathering the information you need to identify and analyze water management issues. You also will need some other descriptive information about the district to include in your water management plan document so that people who read it have a good understanding about the district. The checklist below is provided to help you get started assembling the information you will need.

Physical Setting

Understanding the local hydrology and climate will help you identify the factors which affect district water supplies and irrigation demands. Data that might be useful include:

• Hydrology of source streams, district reservoirs, area wetlands, and groundwater

• Water quality of sources and return flows

• Climate information such as precipitation and temperature

Sources of hydrologic, climatic, and water quality include extension offices, local universities, the National Climatic Data Center, the USGS, the EPA, the NRCS, Reclamation, and private data publishers.

Water Rights, Permits, and Contracts

The legal and institutional constraints under which your district operates will be a factor in your water management plan.

Therefore, it would be useful to understand:

• Brief history of the district and local area

• Rights or permits held by the district

• Contracts with Reclamation or others

• Instream flow requirements

• Restrictions on water use

• Endangered Species Act compliance needs

Sources of information include district bylaws, articles of incorporation, decrees, contracts, and state water legislation.

Pay particular attention to restrictions on the use of conserved or salvaged water, transfers within your district or between districts, and any requirements to preserve return flow patterns.

Lands and Crops

Understanding the agricultural details of your district is key to developing a sound management plan. Data that should be collected include:

• Acreage under each crop

• Irrigation methods

• Soil, topography, and drainage

The Crop Production and Water Utilization Data sheets that districts submit to Reclamation are comprehensive with respect to areas irrigated and crops grown. You should find descriptions of terrain, soil types, and soil parameters important to irrigation operations in Reclamation’s Land Classification Maps. Your district may have copies of these maps or may wish to obtain them from Reclamation’s local Area Office.

Other sources of soils information may be found in NRCS soil surveys.

District Operations and Operating Policies

Your water management plan may involve modifying existing operating policies. Sources of this information could include district bylaws, written policies, district rules and regulations, and standard practices. You will first need to understand:

• General operations

• Water ordering and delivery procedures

• Water pricing rate structure

• Water shortage allocation policy

• Inter-district agreements and operations

• Staffing and training of operators

Examples include reservoir operations, main canal operations, timing of use of different sources, groundwater pumping policies, flood control policies, facilities maintenance, and hydropower operations. Many operating policies may not be written down; describing your operations in writing will help you and others better understand how the district works.

Water Resources Inventory

The infrastructure and water supplies currently in place in your district will be the most important factors in determining where water use efficiencies can be improved. Records of flow amounts will be key to estimating losses and potential savings.

The types of data you will need include:

• General description of the reservoirs and distribution system

• Diversion capacities and diversion records

• Groundwater pumping capacities and pumping data

• Storage capacities, storage and release records, and evaporation data

• Delivery records and data, including peak period deliveries

• Drainage and return flow records

Some districts will have detailed, daily records for diversions, storage and deliveries for multiple points in the system. Others will have diversion and delivery records only for main canals and laterals. Reclamation’s Monthly Water Distribution sheets will contain monthly data for your district, though the accuracy and reliability of these data should be verified. You may also have additional records in the form of ditch rider notebooks, water ordering cards, etc. Information from drought years will be particularly useful.

Other Water Uses

There may be opportunities and constraints presented to your district by non-agricultural water uses. Your district may provide water supplies for municipal, domestic, or industrial uses; you will want to quantify those water uses as much as possible. Some other water uses include:

• Recreational and environmental uses

• Special needs or operations (e.g., sediment flushing)

Existing Water Management and Conservation Programs

You will want to understand what management measures or programs have already been implemented in your district.

These could range from sprinkler installation to education programs to variable rate pricing. Understanding the cost and impacts of each measure will help you make informed decisions about future measures. Lessons from programs that have not succeeded are as valuable as those from programs that have succeeded.

STEP 2 – IDENTIFYING AND PRIORITIZING ISSUES

Overview

Issues are the reasons or justifications (why) for performing actions. Planners often call issues by a variety of names. They may call them problems, needs, or opportunities. Issues may result from specific requirements or reflect stakeholder wants.

Water management planning issues are often thought to relate only to water supply issues. However, issues can involve all aspects of water management and use. Areas to be considered should include:

• Administration

• Crop production

• Customer service

• Drainage

• Equipment

• Facilities availability and capabilities

• Finances

• Information management

• Legal, institutional, or environmental requirements

• Operation and maintenance

• Personnel

• Policy

• Soil erosion

• Water quality

• Water supply or availability

• Water use

Identifying Issues

There are a variety of ways to learn about water management issues in your district. Probably the most common way is day-to-day observation and experience. District management and staff members often observe operational issues directly. Water users may complain of difficulties with deliveries. Other persons in the community may bring drainage problems to your attention. Holding informal “brainstorming sessions” with district staff, water users, partners, and stakeholders might help to increase information exchange.

Several water management practices are fundamental to any good water management program. These “fundamental” measures or practices include:

• Measuring and billing for water delivered

• Eliminating pricing disincentives

• Adopting a water education program

• Designating a water management coordinator

If any of these fundamental measures are lacking in current water management programs, they should be included along with other issues that are identified.

Ron discusses his planning ideas with the district's Board. The Board is interested in the concept but wants to find out how much support there might be for it in the district. Together they decide that they need a meeting with the farmers to introduce the idea of a water management plan and to identify key district problems. Sid suggests that they expand the district meeting to include the public.

Ron wants this public meeting to be an opportunity for the farmers and the local community to thoroughly vent their concerns and ideas. He makes a brief presentation to the audience and then opens it up for questions and comments. He asks one of the participants to record the comments and suggestions on sheets of butcher paper displayed for everyone to see.

Some of the more frequent comments are:

• There isn't enough canal capacity to get water to the lower end of the district.

• There isn't enough late-season water.

• We'd like to grow more corn but we need to get the water in a more timely basis.

• There are big seepage losses in portions of the canal.

• The seepage losses have supported wetlands for almost 100 years.

• A lot of water is lost when farmers shut off their laterals and the canal spills.

• Let's look at what other districts are doing before launching into a big program.

• Efficient irrigators are paying a lot more per acre-foot of water than others are.

• Boaters and fishermen at Spring Mountain Reservoir are pushing for higher, late-season lake levels.

• The state wants to improve the springtime streamflows in the section of the South Fork just below Springfield's headgate.

• We don't have a lot of money to spend.

• Downstream municipal users are concerned about the quality of drainage and return flow water.

After a couple of hours of collecting farmers' ideas, Ron suggests that a handful of farmers volunteer to form an advisory committee. He gets three volunteers, Sid, Iris and Wendell.

Figure 2: Typical Components of a Water Budget

Another important way to learn about water management issues is to analyze data. For example, by comparing records of gross diversions with records of farm deliveries you can estimate the amount of water lost in main canals and laterals. This type of quantitative analysis can provide quite specific information about problem areas, provided it is based on accurate data. One very useful method of analysis is the water budget, which is described in more detail below. You also might be able to obtain additional useful data from other agencies (for example, a county extension agent) or by installing new measuring devices.

Water Budget Concept

The water budget is a convenient tool for analyzing water management issues, provided that you have adequate and reliable data. It is also a useful way to organize quantitative information you have collected.

The water budget concept, simply stated, is that the sum of system inflows has to equal the sum of system outflows.

Inflows consist of all the sources of water supply to the district.

Outflows consist of all the ways that water is removed from the district. The various components of inflow and outflow that are usually present in a district water budget are shown in Figure 2.

Figure 3: Ideal Water Measurement System

By comparing inflows and outflows in a water budget, it is possible to identify unaccounted-for losses. For example, if the diversion into a canal and farm turnouts from the canal are all measured, the difference between the diversion and the sum of the deliveries to turnouts would be the gross loss from the canal.

This gross loss is the net result of seepage, evaporation, precipitation, and the interception of surface runoff and groundwater flow. If any of these later quantities (such as precipitation, evaporation, and interception) can be accurately measured or estimated, then the remaining difference provides an estimate of the other quantities such as seepage).

However, all this is possible only if the records or estimates for all the accounted-for inflows and outflows are accurate and reliable. If any of those records or estimates are unreliable or inaccurate, the losses calculated from the water budget will also be unreliable or inaccurate. Thus, it is very important that the data used in water budget analysis be verified. Figure 3 illustrates the extent of flow measurement that is desirable for development of a good district water budget.

The water budget approach is very flexible and can be applied at different scales. For example, it can encompass the entire district or focus on a specific lateral. By focusing on smaller areas, it is sometimes possible to identify the specific locations of problems such as ditch seepage.

The water budget can also be prepared on an annual basis or a daily basis. A shorter time step sometimes help identify scheduling problems. Table 2 depicts a water budget set up to look at an entire district on a monthly basis for an average year.

It might be helpful to prepare such a water budget for a wet year and for a dry year to see how losses change with hydrologic conditions. By analyzing several years, your confidence in the results of the analysis will be increased.

The primary limitation on what scales can be used in the water budgets is the availability of accurate flow measurements. You should not be tempted to stretch the application of the water budget methodology beyond what you have the data to support.

If you are unable to construct a good water budget for the district, you should probably consider the improvement of water measurement systems to be a top priority issue for your water management plan.

The Crop ET value in Table 2 can be calculated from crop acreages and crop consumptive use estimates. Consumptive use estimates are often available from Reclamation or other state or local agricultural agencies. Most districts do not collect seepage and evaporation data. These values may be derived from the water budget if the other data in the table are available.

One of the most valuable aspects of the water budget is that it provides a means to calculate efficiencies. Estimating efficiencies at different levels will help you identify where improvements are needed the most:

District-Wide Efficiency = Crop ET ÷ Total Inflows

Delivery Efficiency = Total Farm Deliveries ÷ Total Inflows

On-farm Efficiency = Crop ET ÷ Total Farm Deliveries

Monthly calculations of efficiencies will help you determine how well district diversions and deliveries match crop requirements.

INFLOWS OUTFLOWS

Month Direct

Diversion Storage Release

Ground Water

Pumping Precipitation Total

Inflows Operational

Spills Drainage

Evap.

Seepage Crop

ET

Total Outflow

Jan 0 0 0 1,200 1,200 0 720 480 0 1,200

Feb 0 0 0 1,500 1,500 0 900 600 0 1,500

Mar 0 0 0 2,250 2,250 0 1,350 900 0 2,250

Apr 3,581 0 0 2,700 6,281 105. 527 1,053 3,648 6,281

May 8,723 0 0 2,550 11,273 1,491 1,491 1,988 6,302 11,273

Jun 9,318 0 0 ,750 10,068 705 1,411 1,411 6,541 10,068

July 9,692 4,395 550 450 15,024 1,053 2,107 2,107 9,757 15,024

Aug 5,777 7,770 400 300 14,247 1,208 2,416 2,416 8,207 14,247

Sep 2,889 4,101 0 600 7,589 611 1,221 1,221 4,536 7,589

Oct 654 978 0 750 2,382 195 389 389 1,409 2,382

Nov 0 0 0 750 750 0 450 300 0 750

Dec 0 0 0 1,050 1,050 0 630 420 0 1,050

Total 40,571 17,244 950 14,850 73,614 6,316 13,612 13,285 40,400 73,614

Table 2: Example Monthly Water Budget

Ron meets with the advisory committee to go over the list of issues identified at the district-wide meeting. It seems like there is some confusion about when and how much water is actually getting to the farmers, and when and how much water is lost. Ron has been to a few Reclamation workshops on water management and has an idea about doing a water budget for the district to help them pin it down better. They don't have much data but they do have several years of annual Crop Production and Water Utilization Sheets that they've submitted to Reclamation. These sheets have monthly estimates of how much water was diverted by the district, how much was lost in conveyance, how much was spilled and how much was delivered to farms.

The only flows that are measured regularly are those at the main canal diversion from the South Fork. Flows into some of the farm turnouts can be estimated based on the gate opening, but measurements aren't taken consistently. No measurements of spills or transportation losses are made anywhere in the district. To fill out the Water Utilization Sheets, the district has been using ditch riders' estimates of deliveries. Not surprisingly, Ron and the advisory committee are somewhat skeptical about using the loss and farm delivery data in the Water Utilization sheets.

Iris proposes that they take a slightly different approach to the water budget, "What if we compare the monthly canal diversion amounts with crop irrigation requirements? At least we have confidence in the diversion data, and I've heard that crop requirement estimates are available from the county extension agent. If we multiply the requirements by the number of acres under each crop type we'll get an estimate of the district-wide requirement."

This water budget analysis method shows that the difference between the monthly canal diversion and the monthly irrigation requirements is surprisingly large. Wendell points out that the district diverts much more in the early season than is necessary for the crops.

"No wonder the reservoir is so low at the end of the season, our natural flow diversions are competing with its storage right," he says.

Sid says, "I think we take a lot of water early because folks are worried that our water rights will be in jeopardy if we don't take as much as we can, when we can."

"Hmm, I don't know," wonders Ron, "At the most, we only need to take the decreed amount once in the season to protect our right. Do we divert so much early on because we need that much water to bring soil moisture levels up? Where is that water going? Boy, I wish we had better data."

Checklist of Typical Issue Areas

A “checklist” is provided below to help you start thinking about where there might be specific issues or opportunities to improve water management in your district. This checklist is organized into areas that are common to irrigation organizations. It may be that your district or ditch company has unique water management issues that could be added to this list.

Adequacy of Data

Good information is fundamental to making good decisions.

Informed decisions about water management are based on good water measurement and accounting. Without accurate and reliable information about when, where, and how much water is used, it is difficult to correctly assess the locations and magnitudes of issues. These assessments, in turn, are key to deciding how to allocate scarce district resources.

? Do you make regular measurements of flows into all laterals? To your turnouts?

? Are all measuring devices in good operating condition?

Checked regularly?

? Are you able to base billing to customers on measurement of water they actually use?

? Do you think you could use more or improved water measurement?

? Do you have specific ideas about where and how such measurements should be taken?

Adequacy of Supply

The adequacy of the district water supply should be considered at several levels. In some situations it will be clear that water demand chronically exceeds available supply. However, it is more common that supply is adequate on the average, but there are shortages in dry years, in the late season, or in certain locations.

? Do you regularly have difficulties meeting overall district water demands?

? Are there certain areas of the district that are always a problem?

? Do you regularly have late season shortages?

? Have you ever compared actual diversions and deliveries to estimated crop requirements?

? Have you estimated your overall system conveyance losses?

Condition of Facilities

In the planning process, it is essential to evaluate the overall condition of facilities in order to identify potential issues. The facilities that should be considered include the operation and maintenance equipment, the conveyance and distribution system, and the on-farm delivery systems.

? Are frequent equipment breakdowns or lack of proper equipment hampering timely operation and maintenance activities?

? Does the district distribution system experience chronic canal breaks or excessive canal seepage?

? Are water control devices (check structures, headgates, turnouts, etc.) in good repair and providing adequate water control?

? Are there specific project features that require an abnormal amount of maintenance?

? Are there adequate measuring devices to provide proper control of flows?

? Do some farmers waste excessive amounts of water because their on-farm delivery systems are outmoded, in a poor state of repair, or not appropriate for the crop being grown?

Scheduling of Deliveries

Ideally, water is delivered only when it is needed. We are all accustomed to this concept and apply it regularly when we turn on the tap at the kitchen sink. Irrigation water supply systems are usually not pressurized like domestic systems, so matching deliveries and needs is a much more complicated proposition.

When deliveries do not match needs, there is potential for wasted water or unmet demand.

? Do you run water continuously in canals and laterals?

? Do irrigators in your district have access to monitoring and scheduling services telling them when they need to irrigate?

? Do you use a rigid-schedule (rotation) or advanced ordering (demand) system for water deliveries.

? How far in advance do users need to place their orders?

Can you fill orders on a shorter notice?

? Do you have the ability to quickly check or shut down canals and laterals to avoid spills?

Efficiency of Application

Irrigation water delivered to the farm must ultimately be delivered to the crop root zone. The challenge in water application is to deliver water to the root zone efficiently and uniformly over the entire field, without putting too much in some places and not enough in others. Application efficiency and uniformity are affected by many things, but most prominently by field characteristics, water application methods, and water management skill of the irrigator. Evidence of poor application efficiency included dry patches or ponding on fields, excessive tailwater runoff, and irregular crop stress or plant vigor.

? Are farmers receiving water at the time and in the amount required by the crops? Too often or not often enough? Too much or too little?

? Are the farm fields in your district relatively flat or is the land sloping or hilly? Are sprinklers common in the hilly areas?

? Do soil types differ greatly from field to field? Within fields?

? Is there a lot of variability in the effectiveness of on-farm water use?

? Does the district provide demonstration projects or training workshops for irrigators?

? Does the district have programs to make improved water application equipment or technologies more accessible to irrigators?

Control of Drainage and Tailwater

Tailwater is produced when irrigation water is applied to fields at rates and in amounts greater than can be infiltrated into the soil profile. Drainage may include both tailwater and seepage water from deep percolation through farm fields. This deep percolation occurs when more water is infiltrated than can be retained in the crop root zone. Sometimes excess water must be applied to leach salts from the soil, but the presence of significant amounts of drainage and tailwater is often viewed as evidence of over-application of irrigation water.

? Has you district constructed drains to convey tailwater and seepage away from irrigated fields?

? Do you monitor flows in these drains or at other points on local streams to assess the quantities of tailwater and drainage return flow being produced?

? Do you collect tailwater and drainage flows in ponds?

? Do you monitor the water quality in drains and ponds?

? If tailwater is collected, is it feasible to pump tailwater back into your district’s distribution system?

Water Transfer Needs and Opportunities

Water transfer arrangements can take many forms. They may be formal or informal, temporary or permanent, within the district or with outside users. The basic idea behind all of them, however, is to move water from users having more than they need to users having less than they need.

? Is there a method within your district for irrigators to transfer their water shares or allocations to other irrigators?

? Can transfers be made to non-irrigation uses within the district?

? Have non-irrigation or non-district water users inquired about the district’s ability to supply them with water?

? Are there local water needs that could be met by the district if transfers were allowed?

? Is there transfer within the district, or within or out of the basin?

? Are there federal laws, state laws, contract provisions, or policies that affect this transfer?

Environmental considerations

The development of western irrigated agriculture has had impacts on the environment and ecosystems of the region.

Construction and operation of water storage and diversion projects, and their management to varying degrees, have generally modified and depleted natural flow regimes, created wetlands in areas where they did not exist naturally, and degraded water quality by adding sediments, salts, and chemical residues from fertilizers and pesticides.

? Are there…