422 



already relatively energy-efficient and additional efficiencies by 

 that class of irrigators are least likely to result in decrease in 

 consumption of water resources. 



In response to rising energy costs over the past decade, large 

 center-pivot irrigators have already implemented substantial energy 

 conservation improvements: this was reported to BPA by Northwest 

 Economic Associates in 1986. 28)) Many of the large center-pivot 

 operations in the Mid-Columbia, through conversion to low-pressure 

 systems, already approach 80% efficiency in water usage. These 

 improvements were made prior to availability of BPA's conservation 

 rebate program. Water Wise, which until 31 December 1990 was 

 restricted to small (480 or less) acreages. Water conserved by 

 these operators will almost invariably be applied to additional 

 irrigation. 



5.5 Smaller irrigators, particularly those on irrigation 

 district canal ai\d surface water withdrawal systems, are reluctant 

 to make conservation improvements and NIU's proposal contains no 

 credible marketing plan to this class of irrigators, 



A major obstacle to conservation by smaller irrigators lies in 

 their widespread belief that a voluntary reduction in water 

 consumption will result in a lowered allocation when anticipated 

 cuts in water supplies are made by the Bureau of Reclamation and 

 irrigation districts. Resistance to conservation on the part of 

 these irrigators is rooted in their perceptions of economic 

 self interest, regardless of the basis for these beliefs. 



Resistance to low-pressure applications and improved 

 scheduling on the part of this class of irrigators was confirmed in 

 a recent study done by the University of Idaho. 29) One possible 

 effect of the discount on small irrigators — reported to BPA in 

 1.986 by Northwest Economic Associates — is that "farmers 

 irrigating at night to save on electricity would shift back to the 

 preferred daytime irrigation if rates were reduced." 30) The 

 paradox here is that improvement in management — combined with 

 improvements in system — was identified in the seune report as 

 potentially yielding energy savings as high as 25%, while equipment 

 retrofits by themselves vere estimated as likely to produce savings 

 only in the 7% to 15% range. 31) 



BPA's Snake River Area Office on 20 July 1992 reported only 

 $318,000 in expenditures on Water Wise rebates to irrigators, 

 against a budgeted S2.3 million for FY 1992 — further confirmation 

 of the low level of voluntary participation by irrigators in 

 additional conservation improvements at this time on the Basin. 



5.6 BPA's Snake River Area Office reports an achievement of 5 

 avg. MM in irrigator conservation since the program's inception in 

 1982, with an additional 7-8 avg. MN targeted by the year 2003. 

 NID's proposal is unlikely to accoiq)lish that objective in a cost- 



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