WellRegulationInSP ‎(2)‎

• File Number: 8420.500
• Description: South Platte River Basin Task Force
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Date: 6/1/2007
• Author: Water Resources
• Title: Report for the SPTF - Well Regulation in the South Platte River Basin of Colorado
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

South Platte River Task Force Briefing Document
Legislature approved 4.5 additional people in 2007 (3 FTE for ground water
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enforcement purposes mainly associated with monitoring operation of SWSP and
augmentation plans).
With additional staff, enforcement delays will be reduced and better monitoring of
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recharge and other measurement s and accounting is possible.
Efforts to Date by Division of Water Resources Have Included :
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Focus on working with water users as opposed to enforcement
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Continuing to provide training to users concerning flume and data logger
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installation
Have developed more formal recharge, exchange, and SWSP & augmentation
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plan accounting guidelines.
Have encouraged automatic data collection with data loggers. Have also
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encouraged additional telemetry to collect data
Have moved toward electronic rather than paper accounting
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Identified need to level playing field with single set of rules that are protective of
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everyone’s water rights. In some cases, may need to move municipal providers
to same standard as well user groups.
Increased efforts to obtain input on water administration decisions.
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Increased efforts to make data available.
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Draft General Administration Guidelines for Reservoirs.
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:
Facts on Affected Wells
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219 wells in Central WAS not allowed to pump unless and until augmentation
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plan decree is entered.
2400 wells tagged or issued orders to cease pumping including those in Central
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WAS.
968 wells in Central GMS with a 30% pumping quota for 2007.
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Approximately 4000 wells no longer operating in any plan in 2007.
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III. Possible Issues for Consideration by the Task Force
While not exhaustive, the following is an advisory list of issues that have arisen during
the disputes of the last several years, where discussion could occur regarding creative
solutions.
More flexible wintertime administration of reservoir calls by the State and Division
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Engineers; aggregate replacement of winter depletions;
Forgiveness of post-pumping depletion “debt” associated with some period of past well
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use;
Grandfather wells prior to a certain date (e.g., “1969 Act”);
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Revisit with Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District and other affected
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stakeholders the use of Colorado-Big Thompson Project water as a permanent
augmentation source (currently prohibited by policy adopted by Northern Board of
Directors);
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