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<br />.: <br /> <br />Johnson and Edwards Ditch Company <br />November 19-21, 2003 <br /> <br />Agenda Item Be <br />(Updated November 21 , 2003) <br /> <br />The Johnson and Edwards Ditch Company <br />The JEDC is a Colorado non-profit Ditch Company registered in the State of Colorado. There <br />are 7 shareholders and 1,500 shares of stock. The JEDC has the power to set annual <br />assessments to be paid by the shareholders and the power to refuse to deliver water to <br />shareholders that fail to pay their assessments. <br /> <br />Water RiQhts <br />The JEDC has rights to divert a total of 63 cfs from the South Platte River (15 cfs under priority <br />5 dated 1872, and 48 cfs under priority 29 dated 1886.) The Company diverts approximately <br />6,000 acre-feet of water per year through their ditch. <br /> <br />The 7 shareholders of the JEDC also have decrees on 12 wells used for irrigating the 3,000 <br />acres under their system. These wells have been augmented through GASP in prior years. The <br />JEDC diverts on average approximately 2,900 acre-feet of water per year through these 12 <br />wells. Total average annual diversions for the JEDC shareholders are 8,900 acre-feet. <br /> <br />The JEDC is applying for a 63 cfs augmentation water right for this project under which they <br />would divert approximately 2,000 acre-feet per year. This would be used to cover the depletions <br />of the 12 junior wells, as well as provide additional water to augment other wells outside the <br />Johnson and Edwards system. <br /> <br />Proiect Description <br />Three alternatives were analyzed in the feasibility study: <br /> <br />1) Don't build a project. Continue to rely solely upon GASP for augmentation. <br /> <br />2) Purchase a senior water right and use it for augmentation. <br /> <br />3) Construct 2 recharge ponds and a recharge well and pipeline, and purchase limited <br />water rights to generate the needed augmentation credits. <br /> <br />Alternative 1: "Don't build a project. Continue to rely solely upon GASP for augmentation" is not <br />a feasible alternative. The JEDC would continue to depend on GASP for augmentation, and <br />upon supplies secured by GASP on a one-year lease basis. If any of these leases are not <br />renewed or cannot be renewed, the JEDC could not operate their wells. This would be an <br />annual loss of approximately 2,900 acre-feet. <br /> <br />Alternative 2: "Purchase a senior water right and use it for augmentation." The JEDC could <br />purchase shares of Prewitt Reservoir water for augmentation. Reservoir water is selling for <br />approximately $1,000 per acre-foot. This alternative would cost the JEDC about $1 million. <br /> <br />Alternative 3. "Construct 2 recharge ponds and a recharge well and pipeline, and purchase <br />limited water rights to generate the needed augmentation credits': would use the ditch and the <br />recharge well to fill the recharge ponds during the winter months when there is generally not a <br />call on the river. Water from the ponds would return to the river by underground percolation <br />during the summer time while the JEDC has depletions that need to be offset with <br />augmentation water. Water from one of the ponds could also be returned to the river more <br />quickly by releasing it to an existing seep ditch during the most severe drought situation. The <br />purchase of one share of Jackson Lake reservoir water will help assure that sufficient <br /> <br />2 <br />