South Platte - Parker W&SD_LSP IrrigationResearch&Demo_Application_Nov2008

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Alternative Agricultural Water Transfer Methods -Grant Application Form January 2008 from the farmers about techniques that can work on a farm-scale basis. The challenge to this research is to not only develop implementable techniques for farmers, but also to measure understanding by the farmers that these techniques can still provide them with an economic use of their land. Other components of the CSU research will include extensive agricultural economic studies to assess the potential ripple effect from changes in the farm economy, e.g., effects to implement dealers, seed and fertilizer dealers, local businesses, etc. There will also be surveys completed by CSU relative to the acceptability of these concepts as the study progresses. The first such survey was conducted in the fall of 2007 and CSU agricultural economists are evaluating the results of that survey currently. This research on innovative cropping and irrigation practices, as well as the economic research and surveys, is meant to have applicability state-wide, not just at PWSD's farms in Logan County. By having CSU conduct the research, their faculty and staff can use this knowledge to forward these concepts elsewhere in Colorado to both benefit urban and rural interests on a large scale. There are a number of legal issues associated with this project, principally evaluating the methods by which transferable water associated with historic consumptive use can be made available through a change of use proceeding in Division 1 Water Court. However, none of the legal costs associated with that effort are part of the study costs. However, developing answers to the technical issues that will facilitate the Water Court water transfer are part of the study costs (Phase 4). As part of this study PWSD will also provide the discrete components that will be necessary to move any transferrable consumptive use water from the farms to the Front Range. Preliminary planning studies have already been partially completed by PWSD and will be provided as a deliverable in this project. Water quality issues will also be addressed in this preliminary planning document, both as it relates to water quality issues associated with water rights transfer and the ultimate water quality that is delivered to municipal water supply entities. It is expected that historic water use patterns will be maintained, i.e. water historically consumed from the system will be removed for urban use and the historic return flow patterns will be maintained. Using recharge ponds to simulate historic return flows, which will occur over a smaller area than historic irrigation, water quality may improve in the Lower South Platte River. However, water quality for delivery to urban interests will be a major issue, as total dissolved solids in the South Platte River likely will require extensive treatment prior to use, e.g.reverse osmosis, and the brine created from the treatment process could have some significant permitting issues. To address these permitting issues, there is a pilot study currently underway to assess the potential to use zero liquid discharge (ZLD) technology to deal with the brine stream. Alternatively, non-discharging evaporative ponds could be used to dispose of the brine, thereby disposing of the brine stream without discharge to the environment. There are no previous studies of which PWSD is aware, related to the topic of rotational crop management and the feasibility of specific and innovative irrigated cropping systems, other than some small-scale pilot studies operated by CSU that are the basis for this study. This is one of the reasons why the study is so important, in that it is developing data on a critical aspect of Colorado's future water supply by trying to answer the question of whether irrigated agriculture and growing municipal water needs can peacefully co-exist without harming either economy. Given that CSU is the pre-eminent expert institution in the State of Colorado on agriculture and agricultural economics, CSU is the logical choice to lead this very important study. As an indication of the importance of the study, the CSU study team includes 4 department heads and 15 faculty and staff members (see Exhibit B). In addition, the PWSD team will interface with CSU throughout the study to assure that the research being conducted by CSU has practical applications relative to transferrable water for municipal and industrial use. 7