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� � <br />When GASP wells wera shut down, well ownecs went to sev�ral meetings and were told <br />by an cn�inecr from Narthern Coiorado Water Conservation Districi t,hat 2•3 good wtlls <br />a disiance from the Rir+er eould pump water inia the river to cover deglctions. This in <br />cfln,}uaetiou w►th 2-3 wells within 104 feet of the river cauld pump waur ap into l�onds <br />when in priori#y. This could taice care of all the weils on Bijou HiTI --essentially all the <br />walls north of Wiggids aras. (hphan Wcils of Wiggins tiien buitt a 4'/x mile pipeline, <br />rvitb �. large proitucing well at �ch end of the pipeline. In 20�5 objectors told us thc sug <br />well st the top would nnt be ahle to bc used without sevare restrirxions. Alsa we werc <br />told in 2Q06 our weil within 104 feeE af the rive�ar woutd now no langer be imma3iate and <br />we would be t+�q� to paY back a percentage of water pumped evcn when in priotitY. <br />In Janusry of 2E)04, we wrre told a ten year tease of senior water wnuld be consicicred e <br />long term lesse and would keep our wells cuiuYing. OWW thea proc,ecded ta' make deals <br />with senior waser �ght owners for 10 year leases to dry up their farms and let us rcturn <br />tluir senior water to thc river. In ZU05 objectors told us a 10 year lease woutd no longer <br />be considere�d a lang terin lcase, only a SO year lease would be considered. OWW <br />purcha�cd 11 shaxes of rescrvoir rights. This woutd oniy cover about 40% nf orn c�f the <br />43 inigarion welts depletions. OWW also purc[zas� land, .perrnane�nt easements and <br />developed more augmen#�tion ponds, p8th1�1'� WtiI1 II1�i1�?CTS 011 COIIStrI1Ct10A Qf O�CI <br />ponds, built two additia;nal pipelines and anotkier wetl within 100 fe�et of the rivor at a <br />eost of app�ccrximarely $74U,OQ0. Severa] vther members constructed ponds oa their <br />fx�tms at thair awn exper�se <br />My dad always to}d me ihat if you wariced hard and playcd by the cutcs that you would be <br />suce�ssful. As you eau see the OWt�tT members have warked very hard and spent an <br />enornaous amount of money putting togett�r an aug plaq aaly to find ourselvcs in water <br />court several yesrs later asking for a�proval of o�ar plan and having denial waiting there <br />for us. <br />As I have demonstrated, ativersity thrawn at us by Mathcr Nature are risks th�t a11 <br />fanners accept and take in stride whtn they happen. <br />ln la� 21f06 a�d early 20d7 OWW decided the osily way to m.ake our projcct work, would <br />be tv raiuce deple#ions. 'We decided to cut our number of farms cavered by SO°/a <br />;�rlcmbcrs that at that tiune could na longcr atiard to go on ar decided not to put mc�re of <br />their operabion in jeopardy, sold shares tu other membcrs aiong with tha loan liability. <br />Then again atier 4 or 5 times uying ta connply with forever chenging interprctation of <br />Iaw, we thought we had a salid pia�e v+� could mEalco wark sa �WtW amanded aur <br />apgliesti4t�. T�t� judge's ruling iz� Match af ZOU7, cuted are weren't liabie f� c�ptetians <br />of mcmbers thez rh�pped au�. After sp�nding m�y rnare dcrtlars on legal aiu� <br />en�ine:ering. fees for the next 19 manths, negotiating with Qbjectors until i mot�t� befort <br />our trial csn t3cwber l, 2008,1udge KIine dropped ttte final ha�mmcr on us by rcversing <br />his decision msking us liablc far dcpletions for members that droppect out. Y£ Jucige Kline <br />}� just e�tade this ruling i» March 200'I, wt would nat t►ava spent anaitter $140,0(f0 in <br />legat. aAd prc>fcssiouat fces. This is just a small amoun# campa�+ed ta what eise happectetl <br />