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Show Viator for tomorrow are coming from special efforts ef-forts such as the Wellton-Mohawk Wellton-Mohawk project in Arizona and the larger Colorado Basin Ba-sin Salinity Control Program, Pro-gram, where farmers aided by SCS are proving that efficient ef-ficient irrigation cuts water use, improves downstream water quality and produces excellent crops. Few land users can afford to wait until they have all In the middle of a good irritation ir-ritation year, It is time to think about getting ready for the not so good water supplies of next year or the year after - or next month. Water conservation and efficiency in water use are urgent in all years. They affect sustained food and fiber fi-ber production, availability of water for other purposes and quality of water for all purposes and quality of water for all purposes. They also affect farm energy costs. Irrigation does need more research - of the 13 top priority water research needs recently Identified by cation Administration, seven relate to irrigated agriculture. agricul-ture. Other questions were raised at' public meetings led by Secretary Bergland, one such meeting was held in Salt Lake City earlier this . year. For example: How would a statewide or regional agricultural water shortage affect the Nation's food and fiber supply? the answers. Utah already has a more than $20 million dollar program of no interest loans to the farmer for installing in-stalling irrigation improvement improve-ment that farmers have planned plan-ned with SCS help. SCS and local conservation districts have aided thousands of land users in nearly every State with planning, installing and improving irrigation methods meth-ods and systems. As irrigated acreage and the demand for food and fiber continue to increase, now is the time for a redoubled re-doubled effort in best use of water now and in the future. What economic and social problems would result from the loss of surface or ground water resources, and how should we address them? Should there be a major effort to import water to areas that have too little from areas that have plenty, or are there other ways of matching water resources with high quality lands to achieve food and fiber for future needs? Who should make these decisions and who should carry them out? Some answers may arise from the Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act (RDA), and other answers |