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Compact Commission, is certain to obtain an annual credit in excess of 150,000 acre-feet. Any <br />such diversions must also be in priority with respect to other water rights in Colorado. No <br />diversions may be made at any other time in the absence of a plan for augmentation approved in <br />the manner required by law. <br />Pre-Compact Storage <br />Since Colorado has been denied the opportunity, since the early 1900's, to build any substantial <br />new storage within the Association's boundaries it is extremely important to the Association that <br />the three pre-Compact reservoirs on the Rio Grande remain available for storage of water. This is <br />a challenge because those reservoirs are nearly one-hundred years old and are beginning to show <br />their age. Because of the limited amount ofpre-Compact storage, the Association has worked <br />closely with the San Luis Valley Irrigation District (owner of the Rio Grande Reservoir) to adopt <br />methods of administration that permit the reservoir to fill in a manner that does not injure <br />downstream water rights, and avoids costly modifications to the dam. <br />Continental Reservoir needs repair so it can regain its lost storage capacity. The Santa Maria <br />Reservoir Company has incurred as much debt as it can currently justify for repairs to this <br />reservoir. Thus, the Association is interested in locating an outside source of funds to do the <br />recommended additional repair work to restore the reservoir to its full capacity. <br />Groundwater Administration <br />Groundwater administration is the most complex issue in the San Luis Valley. The water users <br />are concerned that the practice of issuing permits for so-called "exempt wells" above the Del <br />Norte index not only injures senior water rights, but also creates the potential for a Compact <br />violation by Colorado. As a consequence, the Association believes that the Division and State <br />Engineers should require augmentation of all new depletions above the Del Norte index. <br />This does not prevent small developments and individual homes above the Del Norte index from <br />obtaining water. The San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District, in cooperation with the <br />Association and others, has implemented an augmentation plan that augments well depletions to <br />the Rio Grande above the Del Norte index station. <br />The Association was instrumental in convincing the State Engineer to cease issuing well permits <br />in the unconfined aquifer of the Closed Basin in 1981. The Association remains very concerned <br />that the existing levels of use in the unconfined aquifer of the Closed Basin exceed the reliable <br />long-term supply. The Association is also concerned that the assumptions on which the Closed <br />Basin Project was predicated and on which the well permits in the unconfined aquifer have been <br />issued, overstates the available water supply. If that is the case, there may be a need for some <br />reduction in withdrawals from the unconfined aquifer. Because members of the Association are <br />responsible for importing the vast majority of the water supply into the unconfined aquifer and <br />are major users of that aquifer, they are actively seeking to protect their continued entitlement to <br />use that imported water to sustain the wells of its members. The Association will continue to <br />actively protect those interests while looking for an equitable basis to ensure along-term <br />sustainable groundwater supply. <br />The RGDSS's data collection program should provide additional information on inflows into the <br />Closed Basin . With this information, a better assessment can be made of whether the aquifer is <br />in a long-term overdraft condition. If that is the case, then the Association will play an active role <br />C:Acdss\RGWUA3.doc Rio Grande Water Users Association Interview June 21, 1999 -Page 5 of 9 <br />