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Key Structures <br />To assist in the development of a surface water model of the Rio Grande as part of the RGDSS, <br />discussions with District 20 Commissioners included the identification of "key" diversion <br />structures. Key structures were defined as those that significantly effect water rights <br />administration in the District. The criteria that were used to identify key structures included: <br />• total decreed water right amount under the structure (greater than 5 cfs); <br />• water right priority, either senior or swing rights as identified by the water <br />commissioner during the interview; <br />• relatively large amounts of land irrigated under the structure (250 acres and <br />greater); and <br />• represented in previous modeling efforts. <br />A list of all structures within District 20 is provided as Attachment 3. Fora 5 cfs cutoff, 125 key <br />structures exist in District 20 that represent approximately 92% of the decreed rights in District <br />20. Also, the last column of Attachment 3 includes a descriptor that explains why a structure that <br />appears to meet one or more of the above criteria was not considered key. <br />Reservoir Storage Rights and Operations <br />There are three major reservoirs in District 20, including: <br />Rio Grande Reservoir (capacity = 51,113 af) <br />Santa Maria Reservoir (capacity = 37,524 af) <br />Continental Reservoir (capacity = 26,716 af) <br />In addition, there are numerous decreed storage rights for smaller reservoirs, lakes and stock <br />ponds in the District. The Colorado Division of Wildlife owns the largest of these, Beaver <br />Reservoir. The District Commissioners do not actively administer some of these reservoirs <br />because they are generally flow through facilities. <br />As with direct flow diversions, the surface water model being developed for the RGDSS will <br />consider certain storage structures as key. The District Commissioners confirmed that Rio <br />Grande, Santa Maria, and Continental reservoirs are the principal storage structures in the District <br />and significantly effect water rights administration. Beaver Reservoir is also actively <br />administered. <br />Rio Grande Reservoir is owned and operated by the San Luis Valley Irrigation District (SLVID). <br />The SLVID also owns and operates the Farmers Union Canal, one of the largest canal systems on <br />the Rio Grande. Rio Grande Reservoir is located approximately 80 miles upstream of the <br />Farmers Union Canal, with a travel time of about 24 hours. Additional information about <br />reservoir operations can be found in a memorandum documenting the San Luis Valley Irrigation <br />District interview. <br />Santa Maria Reservoir and Continental Reservoir are owned and operated by the Santa Maria <br />Reservoir Company. (SMRC). The SMRC is owned by shareholders in the Rio Grande Canal <br />Water Users Association and the Monte Vista Canal Water Users Association. Additional <br />information about reservoir operations can be found in a memorandum documenting the Santa <br />Maria Reservoir Company interview. <br />C:Acdss\D20_Mem.doc District 20 Interview July 2, 1999 -Page 5 of 9 <br />