Great example of how centralized economic planning fails, while subsidiarity and the market actually work. This is the sort of system the Syndicalists generally prefer (for good cause) and why "Market Syndicalism" is a thing amongst those who realize nonmonetary compensation is in fact one of the major means by which markets actually function. In this case, synchronized plantings increasing yields due to pest suppression is more valuable than the marginal utility of more water for the upstream planters, so they gladly release the water downstream.