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Alternative Agricultural Water Transfer Methods --Grant Application Farm <br />a9~~$ry zoos <br />e} Socio-economic characteristics of the area such as population, employment and land use. <br />The Lower Valley is disproportionately dependent upon farming employment compared <br />to the state as a whole. In addition, the Lower Valley is older, poorer, and has more Latino <br />residents than Colorado overall. <br /> Puebla Otero Crowley Bent Prowers Colorado <br />Population 141,172 20,311 5,518 5,998 14,483 4,301,261 <br />Median Age 36.7 37,7 36.6 37.3 32.4 34.3 <br />Farmers % 0.6 2.4 3.9 4.4 3.7 0.7 <br />Latino °/a 38.0 37.6 22.5 30.2 32.9 17.1 <br />Median Income $32,775 $29,738 $28,803 $28,125 $34,202 $47,203 <br />Unemployment 5.9 4.4 <br />Poverty % 14.9 14.2 15.2 16.6 14.5 6.2 <br />Source: Census; 20Q2 Census of Agriculture (USDA); Bureau of Labor Statistics <br />Pueblo Otero Crowley Bent Prowers Colorado <br />Ag acres 19,786 32,776 5,437 33,185 166,754 3,867,422 <br />Total acres 152,8832 808,256 504,960 968,060 1,0499,20 66,385,432 <br />Pct Ag 1.3 4.1 1.1 3.4 15.9 5.8 <br />3. Description of the Alternative Water Transfer Method <br />Please describe the type(s) of water transfers that will be examinedlutilized (i.e., conceived transfer <br />methods include, but are not limited to: 1) interruptible water supply agreements; 2} long-term <br />agricultural land fallowing; 3) water banks; 4} reduced consumptive use through efficiency or cropping <br />changes while maintaining historic return flows; and 5) purchase by end users with leaseback under <br />defined conditions}. In addition, please describe how the transferable consumptive use will be <br />calculated and quantified, and how return flow patterns will be addressedlmaintained. <br />The water leasing program of the Super Ditch Company will include interruptible water <br />supply agreements to serve short term needs (up to 10 years), land fallowing and water <br />(easing to serve longer-term needs, and possibly a water bank for needs of less than one <br />year. <br />Interruptible supply agreements are authorized by CRS § 37-92-309. To the extent that <br />the Super Ditch Company has stored water in priority that remains after meeting its delivery <br />obligations under various water leases, it may sell that water to others who need it, a sort of <br />water bank. The Super Ditch Company does not intend to operate a formal water bank under <br />CRS § 37-80.5-102 to 106. Long-term water leases will involve adjudicating changes of water <br />rights pursuant to CRS § 37-92-305(3). <br />The transferable consumptive use of any water right is limited to historical consumptive <br />use under Colorado law. In addition, other appropriators on the stream cannot be injured in a <br />change, which normally means that historical return flows must be maintained to prevent <br />injury. The Super Ditch Company will commission the usual engineering studies to determine <br />15 <br />