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Mr. Travis Smith, Superintendent October 16, 2003 Page 10 . canal and native flow at the Del Norte gaging station. Specifically, the additional water was that diverted into the canal at rates of more than 145.70 cfs when the flow at Del Norte was larger than 2,285 cfs. Table 6 shows the results from this part of the analysis. Additional water was available for direct flow storage under the District's decree in most years of the analysis period. It averaged 15,005 acre-feet annually overall and ranged from none in 2002 to 40,288 acre-feet in 1980. Most of the water was available in May and June, although some was available in April, July, and August. . We understand that direct flow storage under Priorities No. 1903-30F and 1903-34G is particularly important to the District. Water nOF}l1ally becomes ayailable under these priorities FI,,~"'rcV early in the irrigation season before the District has cleaned the Farmers Union Canal at diversion rates greater than 531.58 cfs. As a result, the District expends a great deal of effort to divert and deliver this water to its landowners. Having additional reservoir capacity available in which to store this direct flow water would give the District more opportunity to J~';:~the ditch and would increase efficiency with which the water could be delivered to the landowners for direct irrigation and recharge. Table 7 shows the direct flow water that was available for storage under these two priorities. It averaged 1,542 acre-feet annually and ranged from none in 23 years to 12,470 acre-feet in 1979. This is water measured at the Farmers Union diversion facilities so it includes no allowances for conveyance losses. As indicated above, the direct flow storage rights held by the Rio Grande Canal Water Users Association and the Commonwealth Irrigation Company were decreed respectively in Cases No. W-3979 and 95CW18. As you know, the Rio Grande Canal Water Users Association owns and operates the Rio Grande Canal, and the Commonwealth Irrigation Company owns and operates the Empire Canal. The decree in Case No. W-3979 allows the Rio Grande Canal Water Users to store the direct flow water available under the priorities junior to Priority No. 363- A when Priority No. 363-A can be fully satisfied from the available river flow. When Priority No. 363-A is fully satisfied, the Rio Grande Canal is entitled to divert 570 cfs. . The decree in Case No. 95CW18 allows the Commonwealth Irrigation Company to implement direct flow storage under Priorities No. 361-A and 361-8 when the indexed native flow in the Rio Grande at the Del Norte gaging station exceeds 2.285 cfs. ThE; decree in Case No. 95CW18 further limits the Commonwealth's direct flow storage to May 20 to July 5, to periods when Priorities No. 361-A and 361-8 are fully in priority and to periods when all the Empire Canal priorities can be used beneficially within the Company's service area. Also. the