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FRICO does not expect any expression of gratitude coming back from <br />o <br />Central well owners for its co-operation, but if and when it is asserted that <br />the senior surface right owners are in tending to drive out well owners, we <br />ask that the Task Force member s recognize FRICO’s and Henrylyn’s <br />efforts to assist the well owners. <br />On a one-on-one basis, FRICO and its sister company, the Burlington <br />o <br />Company, have assisted shareholder well owners who would not have <br />survived Central’s 2007 reduced allocation. <br />FRICO’s water supply is vulnerable to impacts of out of priority depletions and senior <br />water calls because it is a very water short system (i.e. on a regular basis, the FRICO <br />system cannot provide a full wate r supply to its shareholders). <br />Any out of priority depletions to the South Platte River increase the demand <br />from downstream seniors, and call out FRICO’s rights. [Table 3] <br />The South Platter River, especially below Greeley, is dependent upon return <br />flows from upstream irrigation to sustai n its flows. The downstream senior <br />Any <br />reservoirs call out FRICO. unpaid depletions from tributary wells <br />reduces return flows to the river and increase the time and amount of senior <br />calls. <br />Being curtailed by a senior call is a no rmal and expected condition under the <br />appropriation system. FRICO’s major South Pl atte rights have prio rity dates of 1908 and <br />1909. Even with priority da tes nearly 100 years old, FRIC O is regularly called out by <br />downstream seniors. [Table 2]. <br />FRICO’s shareholders have need for s ubstantially more water than we are <br />allowed to divert. <br />Any junior depletions will increase the length and amount of senior direct calls <br />(Table 2). <br />Junior well owners should expect to be called out, just as FRICO is and always <br />has been. <br />The appropriation system provides relative ce rtainty as one of its major functions. <br />If you want or need absolute certainty of use, obtain a senior right or construct <br />sufficient storage to obtain a firm yield fr om a junior right. These are, admittedly, <br />expensive. If the State makes a policy d ecision to maintain agricultural uses (or <br />any specific uses), it will have to de velop water supplies that may not be <br />economically effective. The state ca nnot, however, benefit one group of junior <br />decree holders by taking the water from seniors. <br />2 <br />