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' <br />, <br />' William J. Killip, II <br />September 18, 1996 <br />' Page 2 <br />CARLSON, HAMMOND 8c PADDOCK, L.L.C. <br />water from the Rio Grande, water levels in the unconfined aquifer were 50 to 100 feet <br />, below ground surface. In the 1880's and 1890's, a number of large canals were constructed <br />to bring irrigation water from the Rio Grande into the closed basin. As a consequence of <br />' this importation of water from the Rio Grande, the unconfined aquifer was filled, and in <br />some years has water levels within five or fewer feet of the land surface. It is this imported <br />water that recharges the unconfined aquifer and pcovides much of the groundwater for the <br />' agricultura) lands in the closed basin. The water supply for the State Land Board's lands, <br />like that of other water users in the closed basin, is dependent upon continual recharge of <br />the closed basin to sustain the water supply. <br />' The 1950's, 60's, and 70's, were a prolonged period of drought in the San Luis <br />Valley. This was combined with initiation of administration under the Rio Grande Compact <br />' beginning in 1968. The effect of the drought and compact administration was to reduce the <br />importation of water into the closed basin. At the same time, a(arge number of wells were <br />constructed to supplement the limited surface water supplies. The result was a substantia) <br />' decline in the groundwater levels in the unconfined aquifer of the closed basin. In some <br />instances, wells simply sucked air because the water level decline had been so great. This <br />decline in groundwater levels was documented by the U.S.G.S. in its 1985 Atlas HA-683 <br />' by Thomas M. Crouch. <br />The agricultural users in the closed basin were understandably alarmed by the <br />' groundwater level declines and at the threat it posed to their livelihood. Accordingly, the <br />water users have been working diligently to increase the amount of recharge to the <br />unconfined aquifer to ensure a reliable supply of water for their wells. As part of the basin- <br />' wide effort to encourage recharge, the District obtained a grant from the Colorado Water <br />Conservation Board (the "CWCB") to assist farmers with recharge projects and for the <br />development of recharge facilities. The recharge facilities on the State Land Board's lands <br />' are part of this program and were developed with funds available under the grant from the <br />CWCB and are intended to permit the District to study recharge. <br />' The District does not own or control the water rights that provide water to this <br />recharge facility. Instead, the water for recharge is delivered by the Rio Grande Canal <br />' Company from its Lateral No. 5 that runs through the State Land Board's land. Some of the <br />water delivered may be from the Rio Grande Canal Company under its own priorities, and <br />the remainder is water delivered through the Rio Grande under the winter recharge decree <br />, of the Rio Grande Water Users Association. Due to natural variations in the water suppiy, <br />there is no assurance that any specific amount of water will be delivered to this facility in <br />any year. The water that is delivered under the priorities of the Rio Grande Canal occurs <br />' <br />A-9 <br />, <br />