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k. The Special Master held that "the Compact restricts ground water consumption to <br />whatever extent it depletes stream flow in the republican River." In so ruling, the Special <br />Master held that the "hydraulic correction between strearn Flow and groundwater is a well - <br />established fact." See First Report, p.2 n.3 The Special Master expressly rejected Colorado's <br />argument to treat Ogallala Aquifer groundwater differently than alluvial groundwater. <br />Groundwater in the Ogallala. Aquifer is thus subject to the terns of the Compact in the same <br />manner as alluvial groundwater. Id. pp. 41 — 44. <br />1. After the Special Master's findings and conclusions in the First report, Colorado, <br />Kansas and Nebraska entered into the Final Settlement Stipulation ( "Compact Stipulation') on <br />December 15, 2002. The governors and attorneys general of each state agreed to the settlement <br />of the Compact Litigation. <br />W. Under the Compact Stipulation, the Compact states agreed to ,jointly construct the <br />RRCA Compact Model in eorajunctiota with representatives of the United States to determine <br />«stream flow depletions by Well pumping" for purposes of Compact accounting and <br />administration. See Compact Stapi iation pp. 18 — 20. <br />n. The United States Supreme Court approved the Compact Stipulation in May, <br />2003, noting its binding effect in developing the RRCA Model. All claims were dismissed with <br />prejudice, effective upon the filing of the Special Master's Final Report certifying adoptioza of <br />the RRCA Model, See Kansas v. Nebrarka and Colvrrada, 538 U.S. 720 (2.003). The Court <br />accepted the Final Report on actober 20, 2043, See Kansas v..l eh=ka and Colorado, 540 U.S. <br />9b4(2403). <br />o. The Special Master filed a Final Deport with the Supreme Court on September <br />17, 2403 in which he certified adoption of the RRCA Model by Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska <br />and found that the primary purpose of the RRCA Model was "to detemine the amount, location �. <br />and timing of str w flow depletions to the Republican River caused by - well pumping and to <br />deterinh)e stream low accretions from recharged water imported from the Platte River Basin into <br />the Republicaa River Basin." See Final Reporrt, pp. 5, 8. <br />p. The Final Report pointed out that there were virtually no wells in the River Basin <br />in Colorado in the 1940s and that the number of wells increased dramatically from the n d- <br />1960s to the raid -1970s to the current number of approximately 4,000 wells. See Final Deport, <br />pp, l 7 —18 and ARCH Model Summary, p.6. <br />q. The Final Report found that the RRCA "Model construction and calibration <br />represent the physical and hydrogeological characteristics of the Diver Basin to a reasonable <br />degree." ,See Final Report, p.8 and RRCA Model Summary, pp. 1,2. <br />r. Stream flow depletion results of the RRCA Model through year 2000 are <br />included in Appendix U of the Final Report. In 2000, the impact to the North Fork was 13,173 <br />acre -feet of depletions with depletions hicreasing every year preceding that time, <br />11071 7 <br />