C150253 Feasibility Study

• Contract/PO #: C150253
• Contractor Name: Lower Latham Reservoir Company
• Contract Type: Loan
• Water District: 64
• County: Weld
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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IV. NEED FOR THE PROJECT

In 2003, LLRC filed an application in Division 1 water court to pursue a permanent plan for
augmentation for irrigation wells that irrigate lands served by the Lower Latham Ditch. The project
is necessary in order to allow for the continued operation of wells within the Lower Latham system
and provide the supplemental irrigation water supply necessary for the production of crops within the
system, particularly during extended drought periods. A total of 40 wells included within the project
were previously augmented by Groundwater Appropriators of the South Platte (GASP). The
remaining 45 wells which are included within the GMSCCWCD plan for augmentation. Wells can
no longer operate under GASP and the GMSCCWCD plan for augmentation currently provides for
severely curtailed pumping. The subject project is necessary to allow uncurtailed pumping of the
wells within the Lower Latham system during all years, including extended drought periods like the
one this region has been experiencing for the past several years. By and large, the well owners in
Latham's plan are farmers who rely solely on the crops they produce for their livelihood. If they are
unable to pump their wells without curtailment at critical times during the growing season, at a
minimum, it is likely that crop yields will be reduced, and in certain situations, even eliminated
altogether.

V. AUGMENTATION REPLACEMENT SOURCES

The 2007 Lower Latham SWSP provides augmentation water from the following sources: 1)
consumptive use credits from 16.5 shares in the Lower Latham Ditch Company; 2) consumptive use
credits from 13.5 shares in the Union Ditch Company; 3) consumptive use credits from 15.19 shares
in the Greeley Irrigation Company; and 4) fully consumable water available from the City of
Longmont (Longmont) pursuant to an exchange agreement. A description of each of these sources
and the replacement credit is provided within the 2007 SWSP, which is included in Appendix C. The
water rights which are subject to this loan application are excluded from the 2007 SWSP, but will be
included beginning in 2008.

The exchange of water agreement with Longmont allows LLRC to exchange Colorado-Big
Thompson (C-BT) water to Longmont in exchange for fully consumable water. The current
agreement will expire after March 2008. The exchange agreement allows LLRC to exchange water

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