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Water Supply Reserve Account - Grant Application Form <br />Form Revised May 2007 <br />wildlife nesting, shelter and./brage; and for well augmentation. With this additional <br />reservoir storage CDOW is also in a better position to answer water demands in case of'an <br />uncontrollable situation such as a drought. Storing additional water also allows flexibility <br />in how and when water is distributed to different areas, depending on needs and available <br />resources. This .flexibility allows for the development of new ideas and practices that will <br />ultimately be useful to wildlife as well as to the public. Operational flexibility and cost <br />effectiveness are also contributed by this project to recreation, as C'DOW may, be able to <br />.11111y utilize the water by offering it as potential payment for projects to private landowners <br />in return for walk-in access on their lands, for hunting and or fishing Well augmentation <br />also is of concern as many, of the CDOW state wildlife areas (S'WA) rely, on wells in order to <br />maintain wildlife habitat. C'DOW currently has surface water rights and wells with a variety <br />of use adjudications on SWA's. The establishment ofgroundwater conservation sub- <br />districts within the SLV may have an effect on the amount ofIwater pumped by any individual <br />well on a SWA, regardless of the C'DOW active participation in the district Should a SWA <br />fall within areas which are not regulated by a sub-district, the State Engineer may dictate a <br />set of'rules and regulations. Therefore, Transmountain water which is collected and stored <br />in these reservoirs may, serve to augment wells which cannot be re-adjudicated for the <br />beneficial use of wildlife or which may be reduced inflow as a result of sub-district or State <br />Engineer rules and regulations. In addition, the release of Transmountain water throughout <br />the year could be utilized to maintain a `low flow' in the Rio Grande and its tributaries. <br />This flow would promote the maintenance offish populations, recreational activities, and in <br />assisting in the efficient delivery, of water. Currently, the C'DOW is researching the amount <br />of water° needed to maintain a low flow in the Rio Grande. Cooperative and innovative <br />efforts which effectively and efficiently provide multiple uses throughout the Rio Grande <br />system will benefit all users and should be incorporated into water management plans. In all <br />these ways, this project effectively addresses the Statewide Water Supply Initiative's <br />Management Objectives and the Rio Grande Basin Roundtable's concerns regarding <br />sustainability, restoring Santa Maria and Continental Reservoirs to optimal operational <br />reliability, and, in the process, complying with all applicable laws and regulations. <br />k. The water activity promotes water conservation and efficiency-. <br />Conservation and efficiency, are addressed in detail in the previous item. Increased storage <br />capacity also provides an option to hold and control additional Rio Grande Compact water. <br />These multi-use enlargement studies prepare SMR to conserve water which has for° decades <br />been lost to leaks and seepage. This improves the ability of the Santa Maria-Continental <br />system to hold and more effectively manage irrigation water, enhancing the system's value <br />for f lood control, and providing additional storage capacity when needed by present and <br />fixture third parties. <br />1. The applicant has an existing water conservation plan. N/A <br />m. The water activity will make new water available for use. <br />Throughout the year, whenever water is available to store in Santa Maria, the <br />deteriorated conveyance system limits the amount of crater which reaches the Santa <br />12