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<br />n.'i.d: t:~~ <br />]/, .,-) 4.) <br /> <br />."c.; <br /> <br />:1 <br /> <br />1. INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />Currently there are about sixty artificial groundwater recharge project <br /> <br /> <br />sites in the state of Colorado. Approximately 44 of these are located along <br /> <br />the South Platte River from Denver to the Nebraska border. The purpose of <br /> <br />almost all of these sites is augmentation of stream flow to the South Platte <br /> <br />River. This is needed to offset the stream depletion caused by pumping of <br /> <br />irrigation wells located in the alluvium of the South Platte River Basin. <br /> <br />It is the purpose of this study to document current artificial recharge <br /> <br />operations in the South Platte River Basin, identify any problems associated <br /> <br />with these augmentation/recharge projects and to describe the engineering <br /> <br />methods used to calculate the return flows to the South Platte River. These <br /> <br />augmentation/recharge projects along the South Platte River have evolved out <br /> <br />of the quest for better basin water management in order to provide a <br /> <br />constant, plentiful water supply for the state, with its growing <br /> <br />agricultural and urban water demands. Of particular interest at this time <br /> <br />are the augmentation/recharge projects being implemented in the South Platte <br /> <br />River Basin. <br /> <br />The situation along the South Platte River is a result of. the combined <br /> <br />effects of agricultural demands, limited water supply, legal, economic and <br /> <br />engineering constraints. The South Platte River is a gaining stream, <br /> <br />because it receives return flow from the aquifer. This return flow is <br /> <br />mostly due to deep percolation of applied irrigation water. Because of the <br /> <br />unpredictable nature of surface water availability in this river basin, <br /> <br />regulations have evolved to allocate the needed water. <br /> <br />, L j <br /> <br />.k. _'_ :.L~:C...i', .".:.". <br /> <br />