Jan 8 08 South Platte Basin Roundtable Meeting

• Basin Roundtable: South Platte
• Title: January 08 South Platte Minutes
• Date: 1/8/2008
• Basin Roundtables - Doc Type: Minutes

come up with plan; plan includes cost estimates so that we are
prepared to subnut application.
Draft: SWSI study in 2003 took broad look at issues of basin but
study did not include sufficient detail for these counties. Most of
the population of these counties live on subdivisions plotted
before 1972;
--Thus, given the number of platted lots, key question is if there
are water supply shortages given level of development, water
available from natural precipitation? Concern re: areas where
lots were plotted out in less than 1 acre.
--Objectives: 1) interview counties to determine current and
projected populations through 2050; 2) interview water providers
(any provider that provides water to four or more homes) re:
water demands; 3) identify existing lots (improved or
unimproved); 4) evaluate geology to determine amount of
aquifer recharge from precept that would be available for long
term sustainable water supply (this will involve information
available from the USGS study in the Turkey Creek watershed in
Jefferson County)(return flows from on-lot sewage disposal
systems will be estimated using info from DWR and CO School
of Mines)(available ground water level data where available will
be used); 5) Identify water demands related to future recreational
projects.
--Actions will depend on study.
--Tasks associated with the objectives are detailed in draft.
--Depending on roundtable direction, will move ahead with cost
estimates.
--Question: 3/lOths of acre foot for a permanent residence with a
HIJO well: is this statutory? 35 acres or more have domestic well
and use is usually seen to be around 1 acre foot/year.
--Simpson: empirical evidence
--Dianne Hoppe: Has this study been requested from any west
slope basin?
--Nicole Rowan: No.
--Ralph Topper: Comments: The majority of land in mountains is
federally owned; thus, this will have impact in recharge aspect;
what about water rights issues? Is the ground water owned by
federal government? Suggesting that we should have a component
that studies the ownership of the water.
--Hal Simpson: Federal Gov. owns tributary rights; federal
government does not lay claim to ground water.
--Ralf Topper: The ambient water quality in some mountain areas
is such that this water would not be available to the water provider
and thus the water provider would be looping at alternative
sources.
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