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In <br />1923 and 1956 to an average annual flow of 407 thousand acre -feet during <br />the period between 1956 and 1982. This significant positive slope change <br />clearly demonstrates that flows at the Julesburg gage increased during the <br />1956 -82 period to the benefit of those who use water from the Platte River <br />in Nebraska. <br />DISCUSSION <br />The following paragraphs provide a brief history of significant events <br />during each time interval shown on Figure 1 which have affected South <br />Platte River flows into Nebraska. <br />1903 -1923 <br />The period extending from 1903 to 1923 was a time of relatively low water <br />use and contained normal hydrologic patterns on the South Platte. It <br />probably represents the achievement of an equilibrium resulting from the <br />sustained use of major irrigation ditches and storage systems developed <br />during the last decade of the nineteenth century. <br />1923 -1956 <br />The change in slope of the trend line for this period reflects an overall <br />downward trend in flows at the Julesburg gage relative to the 1902 -23 <br />period. In the years between 1923 and 1956 a succession of major droughts <br />occurred, the population of the basin doubled (Figure 3) and two major <br />projects importing water into the basin were completed (Moffat Tunnel:1936, <br />Adams Tunnel:1947). <br />- 5 - <br />