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• The RRWCD has worked with the State of Colorado to gain approval of a <br />Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) with the U.S. <br />Department of Agriculture to remove about 30,000 acres of land from <br />irrigation in order to reduce the impacts of wells on the streams and <br />increase the useful life of the Ogallala aquifer. This program will go into <br />full effect in 2007 and will result in the permanent retirement of these lands <br />from irrigation. <br />The RRWCD's efforts to achieve compliance through voluntary measures <br />including a second CREP for irrigated lands that are within the area that <br />could be de-designated are important to providing well owners a soft <br />landing rather than curtailment without compensation. The RRWCD board <br />is moving forward with the second CREP application (up to 30,000 acres) <br />and it may be in place by 2008. <br />• Additional actions are being considered by the District including <br />purchasing the surFace water rights on the North Fork of the Republican if <br />the price was fair and based on market value. <br />Other- <br />• The reality is if there are more depletions that need to be replaced than <br />there are replacement sources, then the amount of irrigated land by wells <br />must be reduced accordingly. The unfortunate fact is that it has almost <br />gotten prohibitively expensive to add additional replacement water. <br />The other reality is that the depletions from prior pumping will continue to <br />occur even if the wells are shut down permanently. Most of these wells <br />have been pumping for 30-40 years. If their pumping is impacting the <br />South Platte River, an immediate well shut down and consequent <br />economic failure will guarantee that no depletions will ever be replaced. It <br />may be more logical for both the State and the well owners to try to agree <br />upon an appropriate short, temporary plan to work on these issues, <br />thereby increasing the probabilities of success for all. Allowing farmers <br />time to transition to other farming practices or to eventually retire from <br />farming would at least prevent the outright foreclosure of many operations. <br />Shutting down (or even the greatly reduced allowed pumping that now <br />exists for many wells) farming operations in these rural areas can have <br />significant economic impacts to the local economy. Therefore, there may <br />be some basis to provide economic support to these farmers during years <br />of little no or pumping and then allow phased in well pumping as post- <br />pumping depletions diminish. There is a complex balance befinreen <br />economic support and economic collapse and a controversial aspect of <br />providing subsidies to certain business sectors. The support of local <br />farmers also supports decreased energy use by requiring less energy to <br />pump wells and to transport food products. <br />6