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<br />Alternatives Evaluated <br /> <br />A range of alternatives were considered on how to generate <br />additional augmentation supplies for the UPBCC including 1) don't <br />pursue a project and continue to rely upon GASP for their <br />additional augmentation, 2) purchase a senior water right and use <br />it for augmentation, 3) construct additional recharge ponds <br />filled from the Upper Platte & Beaver canal. <br /> <br />A subjective evaluation of the alternatives follows: <br /> <br />1. Don't pursue a project: <br /> <br />If a project were not pursued, the UPBCC would continue to <br />rely upon GASP for their additional augmentation <br />requirements. Even though GASP has provided augmentation <br />coverage for the past 30 years, there is no certainty of <br />total augmentation coverage with the GASP plan. Supplies <br />currently used to augment the 93 UPBCC wells are secured by <br />GASP on a one-year lease basis. If any of these leases are <br />not renewed or can not be renewed because of the extreme <br />drought conditions, the UPBCC could be forced to curtail <br />their well use. This could potentially be an annual loss of <br />approximately 12,000 acre feet of irrigation water. This <br />event, if it occurred, could lead to a major loss of crops <br />under the UPBCC system. This alternative is not an <br />acceptable alternative to the Company. <br /> <br />2. Purchase a senior water right and use it for <br />augmentation: <br /> <br />This alternative is currently used by many municipalities <br />for the very same reason. The City of Fort Morgan recently <br />purchased 7.5 shares of Jackson Lake reservoir water for <br />augmenting city well use. The 7.5 shares sold for $150,000 <br />or $1,250 per acre foot of water. Jackson Lake water could <br />be used by the UPBCC system for augmentation if enough was <br />available to be purchased. This alternative would cost the <br />UPBCC well over $1,000,000. <br /> <br />3. Construct additional recharge ponds filled from the <br />Upper Platte & Beaver canal: <br /> <br />'This alternative would consist of building two new recharge <br />ponds. This system fills the ponds during the winter months <br />when there is generally not a call on the river. The water <br />from the ponds is returned to the river by underground <br /> <br />Feasibility Study <br />Upper Platte and Beaver <br />Badger Creek Aug Project <br />April 2003 <br /> <br />6 <br />