Approximately 79% of the irrigated acreage represented does not have an on-demand type delivery system.

While irrigation district operators strive to provide responsive service to their farmers, there is a limit to on-farm irrigation efficiency improvements attainable unless water is delviered in a flexible manner that gives teh farmer the ability to turn the water on and off as needed. 

1. The less time it takes for a farmer to turn on and off the irrigation water allows for more efficient use of the water byenabling the farmer to take water when the crops need it and not just when the water is available
   
   
2. and; reducing operational spill in the conveyance system by allowing water to be turned off when the irrigation cycle is complete instead of water for another farmer to begin irrigating.

Agricultural Water districts serve large quantities of water toa few customers, whereas urban municipalities serve smaller volumes of water to a large population.  It is estimated that the typical agricultural water district ahs the conveyance capacity to service only 14 percent of its customers at any given time.  Because of this physical constraint, farmers must plan their irrigation cycles in advance, so that the district can implement a delviery rotation that best meets the needs of its farmers.  Improving the flexibility in water delivery to the farms usually requires substantial investments in major infrastructue.