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Drainage and Seepage Ditches <br />Several drains and seepage ditches occur in District 27 and there are water rights decreed for <br />these sources. However, with increased pumping in the area causing fluctuation of the shallow <br />groundwater levels, these supplies are uncertain at best. <br />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 the District 27 Commissioner 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 27 is provided as Attachment 3. Fora 5 cfs cutoff, 34 key <br />structures exist in District 27 that represent approximately 95% of the decreed rights in District <br />27. Also, the last column of Attachment 5 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 no major storage reservoirs in District 27. <br />Trans-Mountain Diversions <br />There are no trans-mountain deliveries or release points within District 27 <br />Day to Day Water Rights Administration <br />Water rights administration occurs by way of frequent and detailed communication between the <br />District 27 Commissioner and the ditch owners in the District. Due to the nature of this particular <br />district, this communication is often in the form of cooperation between the ditch owners to help <br />meet various objectives including but not limited to strict administration. For example, the <br />Commissioner often asks ditch owners to take excess water to help dissipate the peak flows in <br />order to protect the Rio Grande Canal structure. <br />While most diversion records reflect actual observations by the Commissioner, diversions <br />through other structures may be reported by the ditch owners ("user supplied" information). <br />Records that are supplied by ditch owners typically occur on the smaller, junior water rights that <br />are less important from an administrative perspective. <br />Interaction with Division 3 <br />While the District Commissioner is responsible for on-the-ground administration of water rights, <br />his efforts are directed and overseen by the Water Division 3 office. Daily diversion records are <br />C:Acdss\D27 Mem.doc District 27 Interview July2, 1999 -Page 3 of 5 <br />