16c ‎(2)‎

• Board Meeting Date: 7/22/2008
• Description: CF Section - New Project Loans - San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District - Water Rights Acquisition
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District Agenda Item 16c
July 15, 2008
Page 3 of 6
Pine River Weminuche Pass Ditch
Decreed Water Right Priorities
Priority Appropriation Total Decreed
Number Date Amount (c.f.s.)
1965-13 10/11/1934 6.00
1965-14 11/2/1934 6.00
1965-10 6/30/1936 6.00
Project Description
The purpose of this project is to acquire additi onal water rights for inclusion in the District’s
Augmentation Program. Three alte rnatives were considered:
1. The no-action alternative
2. Purchasing one-third interest in th e Pine River Weminuche Pass Ditch
3. Purchasing other water rights
Alternative No. 1 – No action alternative was considered unacceptable because, without additional
water rights, the District will not be able to support current and future demands of local
communities in need of augmentation water. The St ate Engineer’s Office has indicated that there
are currently non-exempt wells in the Basin that will be required to replace their depletions to
senior surface water rights. Action is expected w ithin one to three years. These well users have
approached the District for augmentation assistance. The District needs additional water rights in
order to support additional augmentation efforts.
Alternative No. 2 – Purchasing the one-third interest in the Ditch is the selected alternative because
there is a need for additional augmentation wate r in the Rio Grande Ri ver Basin. The District
already owns ½ interest in the D itch. In order to add this additiona l one-third interest, the District
will have to go through Water Court to change the d ecree. The District has already been through a
similar change case with its current rights; ther efore, it has likely answered any objections.
Additionally, this water right is desirable because it is transbasin water. Its delivery to the Rio
Grande River Basin is not limited by the historic consumptive use of the water in the Basin;
therefore, it is fully consumable. This new ri ght equals 6.0 cfs and is expected to yield
approximately 141 AF annually.
Alternative No. 3 – Purchasing other water rights is not currently an option. The District found no
other water right purchases feasible because the pr ices were significantly above market value and/or
title deficiencies have existed.
Selected Alternative No. 2 - The water rights for this alternative (the one-third interest in the Pine
River Weminuche Pass Ditch) will cost the Distri ct $800,000. The District is in the process of
executing a purchase/sale agreemen t with the current owner, John A. Weaver. Per the contract,