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South Platte River Task Force Briefing Document 2006 plan, the effect was to require that the augmentation wells would have to be pumped by an even larger amount in 2007 and 2008. Pumping of augmentation wells creates an immediate supply of replacement water but only postpones the timing of depletions, and it created a future obligation that Central WAS could not meet with existing water rights and assets. State Engineer Simpson informed Tom Cech, manager of Central Colorado Water ¼ Conservancy District, on May 5, 2006 that he could not approve the Central WAS SWSP as proposed, and suggested that if the plan was denied, Central WAS could appeal it to the water judge to be considered together with the appeals of the approvals of the 2003 and 2004 SWSPs that was set begin on May 8, 2006. Instead, the Central Board, based upon advice from their attorneys, decided to withdraw ¼ the 2006 SWSP request. Central stipulated with the objectors that Central WAS would not pursue approval of the 2006 SWSP if the objectors agreed to withdraw their appeals of the 2003 and 2004 SWSPs. This stipulation was incorporated into an order by Judge Klein issued on May 8, 2006. The Order also stated that the Central WAS member wells could not be pumped at all until the water court approved an augmentation plan. The result was severe: barely a month into the 2006 irrigation season, the Central WAS wells were ordered not to pump until further notice. Consistent with the withdrawal of the 2006 SWSP and the Water Court’s order, the ¼ Division Engineer ordered all of the 449 Central WAS member wells to cease pumping. Notification was done primarily via certified mail. Division staff posted notices on the well sites when certified mail was not accepted. Division staff field inspected the great majority of Central WAS wells, collecting power meter and flow meter information to verify compliance with the stop-pumping order. As with other wells, Division staff have continued to monitor these wells and have filed complaints with the water court when a user has violated the order. After Central WAS withdrew its SWSP request for 2006, the Division of Water Resources ¼ has received approximately 11 individual SWSP requests from former or existing members of Central WAS. As the February 2007 trial date neared in the Central WAS augmentation plan cases ¼ (03CW99 and 03CW177), Central WAS dropped 230 wells from the applications, leaving approximately 219 wells in the plan. A disputed issue was whether or not Central WAS would still be responsible for replacing depletions associated with the past pumping of wells that were dropped from the plan. The water judge ruled that Central WAS did not have to replace any depletions associated with dropped wells, except for those depletions associated with operations under the 2003, 2004, and 2005 SWSPs. Central WAS later asked for a reconsideration of that ruling, which is still pending. Approximately 6 weeks of trial for the Central WAS augmentation plan began on February ¼ 5, 2007. The majority of the trial was held in February, with portions also held in March, April, and May. The last day of trial was held on May 3. On the last day of trial, Judge Klein set a schedule for the filing of a proposed decree and briefs from the parties. This briefing was completed and proposed rulings submitted on June 14, 2007. No ruling has been entered. Box Elder Creek Basin and Efforts to Create a New Designated Ground Water Basin Concurrent with the efforts of Central WAS to adjudicate its augmentation plan in 2006 ¼ and early 2007, the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District undertook an effort to create a “designated ground water basin” in the Box Elder Creek drainage basin. See - 8 -