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processes governing delivery of Idaho water, we do so with the knowledge that 

 there is some hope of success, and at least a potential interest in improving the 

 system. 



These actions change the volume and timing of flows but do not increase 

 the water available for power production and salmon recovery. Increases 

 in water quantity must come from the reallocation of water used for 

 consumptive purposes to instream uses. Consumptive uses include 

 municipal, industrial, and agricultural uses, with irrigated agriculture being, 

 by far, the largest consumer of water. Opportunities for water 

 conservation are greatest in irrigated agricuhure, although all water users 

 need to become more efficient. Water conservation opportunities include 

 improvements in water transport and storage systems, technical 

 improvements to irrigation equipment, more effective application of water 

 to crops, and elimination of non-consumptively used "waste" water. 

 Reallocation of water from lower value to higher value uses through 

 market actions, such as water transfers, dry year leases, and crop and land 

 use changes also provides opportunities to increase instream water volume. 

 The states have a key role in water conservation because state water laws 

 determine how water is allocated, used, prioritized, and transferred In 

 recent years, many of the western states have included instream uses as 

 legitimate and valuable uses of water. 



-Development of additional storage projects is another possible solution to 

 augment flows for fish. These new projects would be most effective if they 

 were operated primarily to meet fish requirements. 



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