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. . . rH'~'l?31 r.....,.."..;..., J... Water Requirements and Utilization The Plains Use Area Administration of water--The delivery of the water supply available from the mountain area is, for the most part, administered through the private irrigation companies which hold the bulk of the water rights. The water is apportioned to individual users on the basis of stock ownerships in the companies. AdlIlinistration is complicated by extensive and intricate systems of exchange and the transfer or renting of water shares. Further complications arise from the high degree to which water is reused. Ground-Water Development--Development of ground water for irrigation is extensive where suitable aquifers are available. Alluvial deposits underlying portions of the basin, notably along larger tributary channels and near the main river channel, yield moderate to large quanti ties of water to irrigation wells. The USGS preliminary report "Ground Water Investigations on the Lower Cache la Poudre River Basin" cites the number of irrigation wells in the Cache la Poudre Basin together ~r1th irrigation pumpage estiInates for the years 1940 and 1959. Year Quantity of water pumped (acre-feet) 61,000 85,800 No. of wells 1940 1959 593 1,100 The Plains Reservoirs--The need for regulatory storage in the basin was recognized during early stages of irrigation development. Sites for small reservoirs were available in natural drainageways and shallow depressional areas. The best of these sites were developed rapidly, with nearly all of the present basin reservoirs being com- pleted prior to 1920. The group of plains reservoirs constitutes 56 reservoirs with a total decreed capacity of 161,300 acre-feet. The individual reservoirs range in size from less than 100 acre-feet to 17,689 acre- feet (Windsor Reservoir). The canals feeding the reservoirs are rather lengthy and seepage losses during filling periods are probably quite high. 17