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<br />Riverside Irrigation District <br />May 16-17, 2006 <br /> <br />Agenda Item 11 b <br /> <br />and 1907) and then refill under two different decrees (1910 and 1929). The reservoir can be filled <br />through the Riverside Inlet Canal which has capacity to divert 1000 cis from the South Platte River, <br />at a head gate located about 4 miles east of Kersey. Based on the State Engineer's diversion <br />records from 1988 through 2004, the Riverside system has had an average annual diversion of <br />108,000 acre feet for all water diverted through the Riverside head gate. RID is able to deliver <br />41,500 acre feet to users, on an average annual basis (storage - 1.37 acre-ft/ac; and direct flow - <br />0.5 acre-ftlac.) As mentioned, RID receives the majority (about 75%) of its irrigation water through <br />its controlling interest in RRLC's Riverside Reservoir. There are a total of 2505 Private Rights in <br />RRLC. Prior to the acquisition of the subject 46 Rights, RID owned 1954 Rights (78.0%). With the <br />acquisition, RID now owns 2,000 Rights (79.8%). <br /> <br />Groundwater Appropriators of the South Platte (GASP) - For over twenty years, RID was able to <br />use GASP-owned Riverside Reservoir rights for irrigation within the RID system, in exchange for <br />allowing GASP to use excess RID recharge credits. In 1997, this arrangement was formalized in a <br />Water Exchange Agreement between RID and GASP. RID was able to use 62 Private Rights <br />owned by GASP for the irrigation benefit of District members. In return, RID provided GASP with <br />32 acre-feet of excess recharge/augmentation credits per Private Right. This arrangement <br />continued to work well for both parties until 2004 when GASP no longer needed the recharge <br />credits for their temporary augmentation plan. In 2005, GASP announced that they were dissolving <br />and that all of their assets would be sold off, including the Riverside water. RID is dependent upon <br />the continued use of the GASP's Riverside Reservoir water rights as a supplemental source. The <br />GASP water has given them flexibility within their district and has been used to reduce pumping of <br />some of the alluvial wells in the district. RID wants to retain control of as many of the GASP <br />Riverside rights as possible so that their system can maintain the balance of the last twenty years. <br /> <br />GASP Auction - RID was able to purchase 46 out of the available 65.5 Private Rights at the GASP <br />auction in Greeley on February 9, 2006, using interim financing from the Bank of Colorado in Brush. <br />This loan would be extinguished using the proceeds of the CWCB loan. For the 46 Private Rights, <br />RID paid $1,632,500, or an average of $35,489 per Right. Overall, for the 65.5 Private Rights sold <br />at auction, the average selling price was $36,099/Right. The average for the 19.5 Rights that RID <br />did not purchase was $37,538. <br /> <br />Feasibility Studies <br /> <br />Nation Engineering Services of Fort Morgan, has completed the feasibility study in accordance with <br />eWCB guidelines. The study includes an assessment of alternatives to acquire historic control of <br />RRLC Riverside water not owned by RID. <br /> <br />Riverside Irriaation District <br /> <br />The RID was formed in 1907 by order of the Morgan County Commissioners and operates as an <br />Irrigation District under the Irrigation District Law of 1905 (C.R.S. 37-41-101 to 160), including <br />amendments in C.R.S. 37-43-101 to 211. The RID office is located in Fort Morgan. RID levies an <br />acreage assessment based on benefits received, but there is no mill levy assessment. The Morgan <br />County Treasurer serves as the ex officio RID Treasurer and collects and distributes assessments, <br />in the same manner as property taxes are collected. Money is distributed to the RID on a monthly <br />basis. Elected governing Board Members are: Wade Castor - President, Curt Poitz - Vice <br />President, Andrew Gerken, Alan Meyer and Marvin Kembel- Directors. Don Chapman, <br />Superintendent and Don Snider, Secretary are appointed by the Board. Historically, about 45% of <br />the RID budget comes from acreage assessments, 40% from water leases, and 15% from other <br />sources. RID currently leases 2837 units of Colorado-Big Thompson (CBT) water to the City of Fort <br />Morgan (out of a total 2895 units owned.) Lease revenue has increased significantly over the past <br /> <br />Page 2 of 5 <br />