They study the economic impact of water banking and survey the willingness of water-rights holders to participate in this type of voluntary exchange. Walker River Basin irrigators explore the potential for certain cultural practices to conserve water and improve water quality. Cooperative Extension works to identify those voluntary conservation measures that benefit the entire basin. The program also includes workshops that train facilitators for settling community disputes. A longtime cooperative project considers the entire ecosystem on private property to help ranchers improve rangeland conditions, their economic status and the public-land planning process.
Volunteers emphasize regular water testing and septic design and maintenance.
They've tested nearly 600 wells for nitrate, removed 40,000 pounds of household hazardous waste, and reached more than 6,000 students in elementary schools.