C150253 Approval letter - Laserfiche WebLink

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Lower Latham Reservoir Company July 11-12, 2007 Agenda Item 15b covered in the Augmentation plan of the Groundwater Management Subdistrict (GMS) of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District. The LLRC is seeking its own Augmentation Plan that will cover the wells formerly in the GASP Plan, and supplement coverage of the GMS wells that are not expected to be fully covered. GMS provided 15% well coverage in 2006, and anticipates providing 30% coverage in 2007. The LLRC has concluded that additional replacement sources are necessary to provide sufficient replacement water during extended drought years. Substitute Water Supply Plan (SWSP) - The LLRC has requested a renewal of their SWSP for 2007. The total irrigated acreage in the 2007 SWSP is 7,730 acres, and for the 2007 plan year (April 2007 through March 2008) the total stream replacement obligation was determined to be 586.6 acre-feet (allocated 236.5 to the GMS member wells and 350.1 acre-feet to the non-GMS wells.) In addition to 100% of the 2007 replacement obligation for all wells, the SWSP will replace lagged stream depletions for 100% of the GMS wells in 2006 and 50% in 2005, and 100% of the depletions for the non-GMS wells from all prior years pumping. The 2007 SWSP provides augmentation water from the following sources: 16.5 shares LLDC, 13.5 shares of Union Ditch Company; 15.19 shares of Greeley Irrigation Company (GIC); and an agreement with the City of Longmont (subject to renewal) to exchange 745 shares of Colorado Big Thompson (CBT) water owned by LLRC for their municipal effluent. The 6 shares of LLDC which are the subject of this loan are not included in the 2007 SWSP, but will be used in 2008. Approval of the 2007 SWSP was obtained by the State Engineer's Office on May 29, 2007. AUQmentation Plan - In 2003, LLRC filed a permanent well augmentation plan that is pending in Division 1 Water Court (Case No. 2003CW047). In March 2006, LLRC purchased the 142.3 acre Shelf of Seven farm and water rights, which included 3 shares of LLDC by cash purchase in the amount of $600,000, with an expected average of 202.3 acre-feet of consumptive use after change of use (pending). In February 2006, LLRC purchased one share of Greeley Irrigation Company at the GASP auction for $38,100, with an historic consumptive use of 10.31 acre-feet after change of use (pending.) The augmentation plan application will be amended to include these acquisitions and the acquisitions to be covered by the CWCB loan. The LLRC plans to re-refer the Plan in 2007, and estimates a Water Court date of late 2008 or early 2009. Proposed Proiect - With the proposed project, the LLRC is seeking to supplement their replacement water and assure uncurtailed pumping of the wells in their system during all years. In March 2007, LLRC purchased the 384 acre Rothe Fclrm for $2,200,000, of which $1,575,000 consisted of water rights (333 irrigated acres.) The water rights included 4 shares of LLDC, with an estimated average of 366.2 acre-feet of consumptive use, after change of use. In May 2007, LLRC purchased the 55.9 acre DeJong Farm water rights for $655,000, of which $441,525 consisted of water rights in the form of 2 shares of LLDC, with an estimated average of 84.1 acre-feet of consumptive use, after change of use. The combined consumptive use for both purchases is 450.3 AF. The LLDC have been determined to be an excellent replacement water source because of a senior water right that sustains a high yield during both average and drought years. The acquisitions represent about 23.5% of the replacement water in the future Augmentation Plan. Also included in the project, LLRC has recently implemented instrumentation to measure and record flow at various locations on the system, in order to facilitate augmentation plan operation and improve ditch and reservoir operations. Feasibility Studies The LLRC, through its engineer and manager, Doug Seely, P.E., has completed the feasibility study in accordance with CWCB guidelines. The study includes an assessment of alternatives 20f5 ,,,,;-. I .~