C150150 Feasibility Study

• Contract/PO #: C150150
• Contractor Name: Lower Arkansas Water Management Association
• Contract Type: Loan
• Water District: 67
• County: Bent
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I

L. Credit for the portion of the transit loss that is not consumed associated with releases
from the Offset Account.

As depicted on Table 4, these sources are estimated to yield approximately 15,923 acre-feet of
replacement water on an average annual basis and 6,151 acre-feet of replacement water on a firm
annual basis. Given LAWMA's maximum annual replacement requirements of 18,312 are-feet
LA WMA has a need to substantially increase the firm yield of its water rights portfolio.

Therefore, additional replacement water supplies of senior water rights that can provide
consistent amounts of replacement water, even in dry years, and replacement water sources that can
be stored and carried over in storage in John Martin Reservoir, such as the Keesee water rights, are
needed by LA WMA. Accordingly, in order to increase the firm yield ofits portfolio, LA WMA has
submitted this loan request to obtain $2,250,000 in financing from the CWCB for the acquisition of
one-half of the Keesee water rights. This additional replacement water supply source is described in
more detail below.

V. The Keesee Ditch

The Keesee Ditch is located on the mainstem ofthe Arkansas River approximately five miles
downstream of John Martin Reservoir. The Keesee Ditch shares a common diversion dam with the
Fort Bent Canal, and diverts from the south bank ofthe Arkansas River in Section 1, Township 23
South, Range 49 West of the 6th P.M., Bent County, Colorado. The Keesee water rights are decreed
for irrigation of 1 ,400 acres. Under the purchase agreement, LA WMA would acquire one-half of the
Keesee water rights and one-half of the Keesee Article II Storage Account in John Martin Reservoir
and one-half of the land historically irrigated with the Keesee water rights would be dried-up.

A. Keesee Water Rights.

Three priorities are decreed to be diverted through the Keesee Ditch. Those priorities
are No.1 for 9.0 cubic feet per second (cfs) with an appropriation date of March 31,1871 which is
senior to all water rights downstream on the Arkansas River and Priority No.4 for 4.5 cfs with an
appropriation date of December 31, 1883 is senior to all but 24.75 cfs of water rights downstream
on the Arkansas River. Accordingly, these two water rights, totaling 13.5 cfs, generally are not
affected by downstream river calls and can therefore provide a firm supply of replacement water to
LA WMA even in dry years. The Keesee water rights also include Priority No. 1918-4 for 15.0 cfs
with an appropriation date of September 3, 1893 and the Keesee Ditch has an Article II Storage
Account in John Martin Reservoir which is allocated conservation storage water under the 1980
Operating Plan for John Martin Reservoir on an annual basis.

5