Laserfiche WebLink
The Final Settlement Stipulation allows the acquisition or construction of wells for the <br />purpose of offsetting stream depletions in order to comply with a State's compact <br />allocations, provided that such wells do not cause any new net depletion to stream flow <br />either annually or long-term. The Stipulation also provides that augmentation plans and <br />related accounting procedures submitted under this provision of the Stipulation shall be <br />approved by the Republican River Compact Administration (RRCA) prior to <br />implementation. The Stipulation further provides that augmentation credit for wells <br />acquired or constructed for the purpose of offsetting stream depletions shall be <br />calculated in accordance with RRCA Accounting Procedures and by using the RRCA <br />Groundwater Model. <br />In February 2008, the CWCB approved a $60.6 million loan to the RRWCD WAE for the <br />Compact Compliance Pipeline, which was approved by the Colorado General Assembly <br />later in the year. While the consumptive use charged to Colorado as the result of <br />beneficial consumptive use from surface water diversions in the basin in Colorado is not <br />enough to bring Colorado into compact compliance, reducing the consumptive use <br />charged to Colorado through the North Fork Lease will reduce the amount that will need <br />to be pumped by the Compact Compliance Wells. <br />3.2. Analysis of Alternatives <br />1. No action. <br />2. Lease surface water rights fora 20-year period (North Fork Lease). <br />3.3. Alternative 1 <br />No action will require the RRWCD WAE to rely on primarily on the Compact Compliance <br />Pipeline to prevent the State of Colorado from exceeding its allocations under the <br />Compact. In addition, there is the possibility of significant well curtailment in the District <br />if the settlement agreement discussed previously is not completed and the lawsuit filed <br />by the Pioneer Irrigation District -Colorado Board and certain owners of the Laird Ditch <br />water right to redraw the boundaries of the Northern High Plains Designated Ground <br />Water Basin proceeds. <br />3.4. Alternative 2 <br />Alternative 2 is the North Fork Lease to supplement the Compact Compliance Pipeline. <br />The North Fork Lease will reduce the amount that will have to be pumped from the <br />Compact Compliance Wells by approximately 2,500 acre-feet per year during the term <br />of the lease. <br />The saturated thickness of the aquifer north of the North Fork where the Compact <br />Compliance Wells will be located for the Pipeline project is approximately 200 feet thick <br />and the aquifer is highly productive in the area; however, long-term water levels are <br />declining. Therefore, reducing the amount that would need to be pumped from the <br />Compact Compliance Wells during the term of the North Fork Lease would prolong the <br />life of the aquifer and reduce pumping costs during the term of the lease. The North <br />6 <br />