Metro - Parker W&S CSU Joint Project Rural Urban Farm Model_Water Activity Summary

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means to make historic consumptive use water from agriculture available to PWSD, and potentially other municipal water providers, while still maintaining viable farming operations. PWSD is not interested in the “buy and dry” concept that has historically been used to acquire water from irrigated farmland. The proposed 3-year project will include controlled research by CSU on a farm in Logan County that is owned by PWSD (Hurst farm). Various crops will be planted by CSU and these plots will be irrigated in different patterns to assess the crop’s ability to thrive under varying irrigation practices, e.g., irrigating alfalfa prior to its first cutting, letting it grow without irrigation through the second cutting, and then irrigating it again prior to the third cutting. In this way, CSU will develop a data base on the most efficient irrigation practices for various crops where the crop can still thrive under a lower irrigation volume. The difference between the reduced irrigation volume and the historic irrigation volume related to consumptive use could then be made available for transfer to PWSD for municipal use. While the controlled research will develop an extensive data base on efficient irrigation practices, it also has to be shown that these applications can be implemented by farmers in the real world on a farm-scale basis. Therefore, there will also be 3 to 5 on-farm demonstrations at PWSD’s other farms in Logan County, which will have the farmers continue to work their farms with guidance from CSU. In this way, CSU will receive valuable input and feedback from the farmers about techniques that can work on a farm-scale basis. Other components of the CSU research will include extensive agricultural economic studies to assess the potential trickle-down effect from changes in the farm economy, e.g., effects to implement dealers, seed and fertilizer dealers, local businesses, etc. There will also be surveys completed by CSU relative to the acceptability of these concepts as the study progresses. Grant funding is being requested from the Metro Roundtable’s Basin Account in the amount of $150,000. WSRA money will fund approximately 17% of overall study. Discussion: The overall objective of this study is consistent with the SWSI, which recognizes the need to reduce dependence on Denver Basin water because of sustainability issues, but that development of new renewable water supplies should be sensitive to the needs of smaller, rural communities which have limited financial resources. The project has the potential to further an example of an alternative to permanent agricultural transfer, a key component of SWSI Phase II. Finally, this project has the potential to help provide a renewable water supply for one of the state’s major “gap” areas. The proposed activity does not occur in the same geographic area as the Basin Roundtable that approved the application (study in the South Platte Basin; approved by the Metro Roundtable). The authorizing legislation for the Water Supply Reserve Accounts states that: “The approving roundtable shall be the roundtable for the basin in which the proposed water diversion or nonstructural activity would occur”. The proposed project is a study of a nonstructural/consumptive water activity/project and it is therefore a little unclear how to interpret the legislation in light of the proposed study. While it appears clear that the legislation wanted “local” roundtables to approve projects involving diversions or nonstructural activities, there appears to be latitude in approving studies of areas or topics which are outside the geographic area of the approving roundtable. Issues/Additional Needs: The applicant also sought money from the South Platte Roundtable but did not put fourth an application that was approved by the South Platte Roundtable. In light of the above discussion item the applicant should provide more detail on the issues/outcome of the discussions with the South Platte Roundtable. A significant portion of the work has already occurred. The State of Colorado through the WSRA does not reimburse past expenditures. The applicant needs to articulate which part of the 3 year $859,000 study the 2