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shares owned by Association owners are used south of 9-South, and because of transportation <br />losses, it is difficult to deliver this water without combing the releases with direct flow diversion. <br />Additional information concerning operations of Santa Maria and Continental reservoirs is <br />provided in a memorandum documenting discussions with the Santa Maria Reservoir Company. <br />Use of Groundwater <br />Use of groundwater is an important component of irrigation under the Monte Vista Canal, and <br />owners would be water short without this additional supply. Well construction in the <br />Association's service area began in the mid-1940's and most wells were completed by the late <br />1960's. Today, most land owners under the Canal have their own wells. Only two of the <br />Association's share owners do not own a well. Most of the wells under the Monte Vista Canal <br />are in the confined aquifer, although 90 percent of the wells in the northern portion (Monte Vista <br />area) are in the unconfined aquifer. <br />Use of groundwater occurs primarily when surface rights go out of priority. Because these rights <br />are not very senior, the Canal can typically divert water for only about 65 days each year. <br />In the northern portions of the service area, surface water is used for both direct application to <br />crops and for recharging the shallow aquifer. Recharge occurs on many of the center pivot <br />corners, with groundwater used as the sprinkler supply. <br />The Monte Vista Canal also participates in the winter recharge program. When winter water is <br />available it is primarily recharged via seepage from the main canal, although there is some <br />diversion into recharge pits. <br />Transmountain Water <br />As described above, the Association, by annual agreement, delivers transmountain water <br />to the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge. This water, owned by the Colorado <br />Division of Wildlife, is released from Beaver Reservoir. The Association typically <br />carries about 9 cfs of transmountain water when requested by the CDOW and the Refuge, <br />although the Association charges a 10 percent transportation loss for these deliveries. <br />Transmountain water deliveries to the Refuge are in addition to water delivered under the <br />Refuge's ownership of 175 shares in the Association. <br />Deliveries include the those to the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge, which owns 175 shares <br />in the Association. <br />C:Acdss\MVCanal.doc Monte Vista Water Users Association June 21 , 1999- Page 5 of 7 <br />