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Data Assessment <br />3.4 Pumping <br />Well-pumping data is useful for studying water use and for calibrating ground water models. <br />Basic information on the volume and distribution of ground water pumping in the San Luis <br />Valley is inconsistent and generally unavailable. There is no basin-wide program to collect or <br />create a database of pumping information on wells in the San Luis Valley. This is due, in part, to <br />the fact that there currently is no administration of nonexempt wells. The Closed Basin Project is <br />the only known large entity in the valley that regularly monitors pumping and maintains records. <br />Data Assessment: <br />The only readily available well-pumping data are those records from the Closed Basin Project. <br />The quality of these records is thought to be good. To include these records in HydroBase, it <br />would be necessary to make minor modifications to the HydroBase design. Displays and data <br />access routines also would have to be written to allow the well-pumping data to be accessed and <br />displayed. <br />Collection of new well-pumping records is an issue that has been discussed with the State <br />management team and the advisory committee. Collection of pumping data on an individual well <br />basis would represent a large research and data collection effort. There are three methods by <br />which the data could be gathered: 1) estimate well pumping from irrigated acreage and crop <br />consumptive use, 2) estimate well pumping from energy records maintained by valley energy <br />utilities, or 3) directly measure individual well discharge. Each approach has advantages and <br />disadvantages. There are inherent technical and political difficulties with methods 2 and 3. <br />Method 1 is proposed for this project and is discussed further in Chapter 5.0. <br />3.5 Streamflow <br />Historical Streamflow data collection is a prerequisite to most water management analysis or <br />planning components. Streamflow is routinely collected and archived jointly by the State, the <br />U. S. Geological Survey (USGS), and other federal agencies. Gages in the Rio Grande basin that <br />are stored in HydroBase and by the USGS were examined. Table 3-1 provides information about <br />each gage. A map of Streamflow locations is provided in Figure 3-1. <br />a454/report/fmaUdata.doc 7/2&~OS 3-3 <br />