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<br /> <br />'as power consumption, depth to water table, well efficiencies <br />and location. !l'he results of this study as shown on line 8 of <br />:rable ). indicate the amount of supplemental water pumped for <br />lands under ditches diverting from three reaches of the South <br />Platte River; Denver to Weld County, Weld Oounty to Narrows, <br />and Narrows to the state line. <br /> <br />With these three preparatory studies completed we could <br />proceed with our historic studies to ascertain the need for a <br />project, establish a base for predicting fUture needs, and <br />obtain background information about the hydrologic aspects of <br />the South Platte BaSin. <br /> <br />Historic Studies <br /> <br />Exhibit 3 indicates the studies undertaken to reach the <br />objectives of our historic studies) they are: (1) canal loss, <br />(2) water utilization, (3) return flows, and (4.) reach gain. <br /> <br />Canal Loss <br /> <br />In our study it was considered that the difference <br />between the recorded river diversions and the theoretical farm <br />headgate requirement contained two loss components; canal seepage <br />loss, and operational waste. These values were computed' for each <br />month during the irrigation season from 1942 to 1960.,They were <br />then arrayed in descending order for each ditch on a monthly basis <br />throughout our period of study. The array of values was then <br />examined for a modal group or for a break to indicate a reasonable <br />loss value for each month. In this manner a loss value was <br />derived for each canal for each month from April through October. <br /> <br />The validity of the selected loss was tested by percentage <br />loss per mile, by seepage rate loss in cubic foot per square foot <br />per day, and by the pattern of rate loss throughout the irrigation <br />season. Line 6 of Table 1 under Historic Hydrologic Oonditions ; <br />(1952-1957) lists our estimate of canal losses by reach. <br /> <br />Water Utilization <br /> <br />Our studies consist of an arithmetic derivation of farm <br />losses and historic irrigation shortages. They involve 8 ,summary <br />of the canal operation studies including total diversions, canal <br />losses, and operational wastes. The remainder plus the amount <br />pumped then become the total farm supply. Deep percolation losses <br /> <br />18 <br /> <br />