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Detailed description of the purpose of the grant <br />The normal operation of LAWMA's Rule 14 Plan and augmentation plan is as follows: In <br />February of each year, LAWMA calculates the projected depletions from its members' pumping, <br />makes projections of yield of its dedicated augmentation water rights, and then, as necessary, <br />enters into water leases with entities on the spot market in an attempt to make up the difference <br />between those projected numbers and supply members' water requirements as fully as possible. <br />LAWMA submitted its 2012 -2013 Rule 14 Plan to the State Engineer's Office on February 28, <br />2012. At that time, snowpack levels were at approximately 81% of normal. Over the next <br />several months, snowpack levels dropped precipitously. By mid - April, snowpack was at only <br />56% of normal. By June, we realized that there would be no spring runoff contributing to water <br />supplies in the Arkansas River Basin this year. This lack of runoff, coupled with the continued <br />lack of precipitation, has critically reduced the yield of LAWMA's replacement supplies. <br />For example, the yield of two of LAWMA's sources of augmentation water, water rights on the <br />Highland Canal and the X -Y Canal, have been affected as follows: <br />Consumptive Use Yields Impacted by 2012 Drought <br />(values in acre -feet) <br />Water Right Average Annual <br />Yield <br />2012 Yield <br />2012 Reduction in <br />Yield <br />X -Y Canal 3,403 <br />47 <br />3,356 <br />Highland Canal 4,210 <br />598 <br />3,612 <br />TOTAL 7,613 <br />645 <br />6,968 <br />As a result of the critical decreases in yield of LAWMA's replacement supplies due to the <br />extreme drought, and to meet as much of members' water requirements as possible, we leased <br />4,000 acre -feet of fully consumable water from the Pueblo Board of Water Works, at a cost of <br />$81.70 per acre -foot. LAWMA's total emergency, drought - related expense for this lease was <br />$326,800. <br />An integral part of the preparation and operation of LAWMA's Rule 14 Plan and plan for <br />augmentation is the administrative and engineering work associated with those plans. In its <br />emergency efforts to maintain operation of the Rule 14 Plan and the plan for augmentation in this <br />year's severe drought conditions, LAWMA has incurred additional engineering expenses of <br />$4,792.50, broken out as follows: <br />