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Alternative Agricultural Water Transf er Methods – Grant and Loan Program <br />Project Summary Sheet <br />Applicant: <br />Parker Water and Sanitation District <br />Water Activity Name: <br /> Lower South Platte Irrigati on Research and Demonstration <br />Project <br />Amount Requested: <br /> $250,000 <br />Matching Funds <br />: Yes ($25,000) <br />Drainage Basin: <br /> South Platte River <br />Water Source: <br /> South Platte River <br />Project Summary: <br />The overall purpose of this study is to prov ide much needed water supplies to urban <br />interests for municipal and industrial use, wh ile protecting the rural economies in areas <br />where some, but not all, of the water is removed from agricultural use. The need for this <br />study is to explore alternativ e means to agricultural water transfers, without using the <br />traditional “buy and dry” concept that can be harmful to rural economies, so that both <br />rural and urban interests can benefit from a more beneficial approach for both interests <br />that involves a cooperative effort and helps sustain both economies. <br />PWSD recognizes that additional renewable wa ter supplies can be developed from the <br />agricultural sector, but wishes to do it in a manner that minimizes the effects on the rural <br />economy. It is for this reason that PWSD ha s partnered with Colorado State University <br />(CSU) to evaluate means to make historic consumptive use water from agriculture <br />available to PWSD, and potentially other municipal water prov iders, while still <br />maintaining viable farming operations. PWSD is not interested in the “buy and dry” <br />concept that has historically been used to take water from irrigated farmland. This <br />request is to provide continued funding for the project that has received past CWCB <br />support. <br />Scope of Work: <br />Phase (Task 1)—Identify and evaluate the “f easible set” of cropping systems, including <br />rotational cropping. <br />Identify and evaluate the “feasible set” of cropping systems, including rotational <br />cropping <br />Identification of Farms <br />Installation of Linear Sprinklers <br />Development of Research Objectives <br />Phase (Task) 2—Scientifically document water savings/profitability through <br />demonstration, basic research and replication <br />On-Farm Demonstrations <br />1 <br />