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<br />Need for the Project <br /> <br />The Rothe Farm own in their wells what is considered a very <br />junior water right. There are numerous downstream ditches, <br />reservoirs and the Interstate Compact with Nebraska which all <br />have senior water rights to the Rothe wells. Some of these rights <br />are close to 100 years senior to their wells. The Rothe Farm does <br />have ties to some augmentation water for their 17 wells through <br />the Riverside Irrigation Company but the supply is not adequate <br />enough to fully protect the 17 wells. Having wells for irrigation <br />requires that the depletions from the pumping of the wells be <br />replaced during times when there is a "call" on the river by a <br />senior downstream water right. GASP has successfully been used <br />for the past 30 years to cover the depletions on these wells. <br />GASP operates on a year to year basis with no guarantee of <br />continued coverage. The current drought has brought to the <br />foreground just how difficult it is to provide adequate <br />augmentation for well users. GASP has even indicated to its <br />members that if the drought continues well pumping maybe <br />curtailed this summer and in some cases has been curtailed. <br /> <br />The Rothe farm wants to develop a recharge system that will <br />generate augmentation water to be used to offset the depletions <br />caused by their 17 wells. By generating their own augmentation <br />the Rothe farm can be protected from possible curtailment and <br />help GASP strengthen its coverage in the same area of the river. <br />The Rothe farm has numerous neighbors and their own ditch company <br />who have successfully created recharge systems used to produce <br />augmentation water. These neighbors served as "inspiration" to <br />the Rothe farm on how to address their concerns about <br />augmentation. <br /> <br />Feasibility Study <br />Rothe Aug Project <br />July 2003 <br /> <br />2 <br />