Improving Streamflow - The Tools We Use
We help water users utilize water more efficiently to improve watershed health. Working with the water users, the following are some of the tools we use to achieve ecological benefit, supports sustainable communities and provides water users the tools to maintain their livelihoods.
Modified land managementIrrigators switch to crops that use less water, rotate crops or let pieces of less productive land go fallow, while leasing or selling the water rights for instream use.
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Water conservation projectsIrrigators can install a more efficient irrigation system and transfer some or all of the conserved water to instream use, while increasing the productivity of their land.
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Split season leasingIrrigators use water during the first half of the season, then water rights are leased instream during the second, drier half of the season.
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Source switchingAn irrigator’s water source is switched from surface water to another source, usually groundwater or stored water and the surface water right is transferred or leased to instream use.
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Point of diversion changeIrrigators withdraw water from a different location, which helps provide more water to the driest stretches of a stream. Generally this is done with a switch from flood to pressurized irrigation.
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Rotational pooling agreementsIrrigators coordinate with neighbors and take turns leasing water rights. In general, this method works best on a shared ditch system.
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