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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />Al.ternatives Evaluated <br /> <br />A range of alternatives were considered on how to generate an <br />augmentation supply for Stieb Brothers including 1) don't build a <br />project and continue to solely rely upon GASP for augmentation, <br />2) purchase a senior water right and use it for augmentation, 3) <br />construct recharge ponds filled using recharge wells, identical <br />to operations on the Tamarack Ranch. <br /> <br />A subjective evaluation of the alternatives follows: <br /> <br />1. Don't build a project: <br /> <br />If a project were not pursued, Stieb Brothers would continue <br />to solely rely upon GASP for augmentation. Even though GASP <br />has provided augmentation coverage for the past 30 years, <br />there is no certainty of total augmentation coverage with <br />the GASP plan. Supplies currently used to augment the 5 <br />Stieb Brothers wells are entirely secured by GASP on a one- <br />year lease basis. If any of these leases are not renewed or <br />can not be renewed because of the extreme drought <br />conditions, Stieb Brothers could not operate their wells. <br />This would be an annual loss of approximately 1,400 acre <br />feet of irrigation water. This event, if it occurred, could <br />lead to a major loss of crops under their farm. This <br />alternative at one time may have been considered acceptable <br />but due to the continuing changes in the water community <br />this is no longer an acceptable alternative. <br /> <br />2. Purchase a senior water right and use it for <br />augmentation: <br /> <br />This alternative is currently used by many front range <br />municipalities for the very same reason. The City of Parker <br />has even purchased water rights across the river from Stieb <br />Brothers for augmenting environmental issues they have. A <br />recently available senior water right for sale in their area <br />would have come with the purchase of a farm controlling the <br />Ramsey Ditch. The Ramsey Ditch is a 12 cfs direct flow right <br />with a date of August 1894. In order to obtain the water <br />right, the entire farm would have had to been purchased at a <br />price of $1.25 million. This price does not even include the <br />legal fees associated with converting the water right over <br />to augmentation use. This alternative may be financially <br />acceptable to someone like Parker but not to Stieb Brothers. <br /> <br />Feasibility Study <br />Stieb Brothers Inc. <br />Recharge Project <br />February 2003 <br /> <br />6 <br />