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• It appears that the outright purchase of senior water rights would be cost <br />prohibitive in today's market because of campetition with municipalities. <br />Short-term leasing of water from municipalities under first-use agreements <br />or the leasing of water from municipalities (e.g., C-BT, Windy Gap, <br />reusable effluent credits) does provide a rtiore economical way to <br />proceed. This would allow the farmers at least a phased withdrawal from <br />their operations if they determine that it will not ultimately be economical <br />for them to pump forever. Additionally, if there is an identified plan to <br />phase out some operations then many of the objectors may be willing to <br />accept a greater use of augmentation wells for the short term. This has <br />been one of the significant sticking points in the recent Central WAS water <br />court trial. <br />k. Do not require augmentation for wells that are far from the South Platte <br />River (e.g., upper Box Elder Creek, Badger Creek and Beaver Creek) (requires <br />statutory change or designation) <br />1. Determine sustainable yield of basin (o.g., by SPDSS) [and allow wells <br />to pump this yield without augmentation?] <br />2. Suggestions for increasing overall supply of water in South Platte River <br />Basin <br />a. Tree thinning on national forest land (decrease sublimation) <br />b. Removal of non-beneficial phreatophy#es and vegetation and trash <br />choking flow in rivers and creeks <br />c. Construction of new water storage or expansion of existing reservoirs <br />(including dredging) - to capture existing flow that may ptherwise go out of the state <br />unused. <br />d. Support existing storage projects (e.g.,, Windy Gap Firming Project) <br />and proposed projects (e.g., pump back projects from Colorado River basin) <br />e. Sharing of infrastructure <br />f. Conjunctive use of surface and ground water - reexamine assumption <br />that all ground water pumping reduces amounts availablle for senior surface water rights <br />3. Suggestions for improving the system of ulvater rights adjudication and <br />administration <br />a. Water Court reform (e.g., streamline the Water Court process, <br />recognize specific engineering methods or calculations via rulemaking, increase <br />authority of water referee, require demonstration of actual, not theoretical, injury) <br />b. State Engineer authority <br />7