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Long Hollow Reservoir <br />Feasibility Study <br />~ 3.2 Reservoir lnflow <br />3.2.1 Water Rights <br />The LPWCD has two decrees for LHR water storage rights. The original decree in Case No. <br />94CW74 is for 1,200 AF. The enlargement decree, now being finalized with Division 7 engineer <br />Ken Beegles in Case No. OOCW49, is for a total capacity of 5,400 AF and at least one refill. A <br />verbal agreement has been reached with the one objector in the case. The beneficial uses for <br />LHR water are irrigation, domestic, exchange, augmentation, recreation, fish and wildlife, <br />municipal, industrial, fire protection, and uses within the LPWCD and to release water to help <br />meet Colorado's Compact delivery obligations to New Mexico. <br />3.2.2 SurFace Water <br />WWE used a water allocation model (MODSIM) to simulate flow in and diversions from the La <br />Plata River under both pre- and post-LHR conditions for the 14 years from water year 1989 <br />• through water year 2002. This study period was selected because of the availability of flow data <br />from five stream gauges, including the Long Ho11ow and Cherry Creek gauges installed in 1988. <br />Based on 85 years of record at the Hesperus gauge, the study period was about 5 percent drier <br />than average (Table 3.2.2-1.). The average annual La Plata River discharge at the Hesperus <br />gauge for the study period was 27,577 AF, which ranks at about the 45~' percentile on a scale <br />from dry to wet. Flow data from the five stream gauges and diversion records for 18 irrigation <br />ditches were used to create the model and develop a water balance for the La Plata River and its <br />tributaries (WWE, 2004a). After calibrating the model with actual data, the model was used to <br />simulate stream conditions in Colorado during the study period with and without the proposed <br />LHR. <br />The model simulated the ability of the LHR to fill in priority. The model supplied water to New <br />Mexico in an amount equivalent to the historic Compact call from New Mexico during the study <br />period. Exhibit 3.2.2-2 depicts the LHR end-of-month storage that is anticipated under this <br />operation plan (WWE, 2004b). Based on historical Compact call conditions, LHR will fill 4 of <br />• <br />991-077.120 Wright Water Engineers, Inc. Page 12 <br />April 2005 <br />