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recharge opportunities for consideration in the Colorado Wetlands Initiative, a GOCO legacy <br /> grant proposal by the Colorado Division of• Wildlife . These monies have been utilized to <br /> initiate demonstration projects, to examine the feasibility of selected projects, and to educate <br /> water users about the potential for such projects. <br /> Activities to Date <br /> The efforts of SPLRG have already been very productive in several areas. This past summer the <br /> SPLRG sponsored a field trip to the lower part of the South Platte River for the Colorado Water <br /> Conservation Board and other interested people to view and discuss activities and issues that exist <br /> on the lower South Platte River. Monthly SPLRG meetings have identified many potential <br /> projects that could help address needs in the lower river. In fact, some water reregulation <br /> activities identified by the group have already commenced and have diverted water for beneficial <br /> uses. Filings for some water rights have been made in water court with the assistance of the <br /> SPLRG. The group has also extended its efforts to assist in the water study contained in last <br /> year's legislation related to South Platte water issues (SB -74). The following short summary of <br /> these activities is presented as they relate to the five tasks outlined in the Scope of Services of the <br /> Water Resource Investigation contract. <br /> Task One - Hydrologic analysis and database development. Data has been developed or <br /> obtained by the SPLRG members that illustrates the trends of flow in the river and the volumes of <br /> water available under the Compact. A point flow model has been developed to examine return <br /> flow patterns in the lower end of the river. Work has begun in conjunction with Colorado State <br /> University Engineering staff on the creation of databases for GIS applications, including stream <br /> depletion factor maps. Proposed future efforts include the acquisition of satellite imagery to assist <br /> in irrigated acreage determinations,depiction of crop types, and basic on-ground features such as <br /> ditches and wetlands. <br /> Task Two - Project Identification and Assistance. The Group has spent several meetings <br /> identifying potential projects,including their associated benefits and constraints. That list of <br /> projects is appended to this text as Appendix A. The majority of potential projects that have been <br /> identified are managed groundwater recharge projects that will reregulate water flows into critical <br /> periods of water demand. Some small reservoirs have been identified that would also reregulate <br /> water, but with more control on when the water gets back to the river. <br /> Task Three -Demonstration Projects. To date, several demonstration projects have been <br /> approved by the SPLRG and are currently in or near operation. A summary of those projects is <br /> also attached to this text as Appendix B and locations of them are shown on Figure 1. Additional <br /> projects from the list in Appendix A are anticipated to receive funding approval as the SPLRG <br /> continues its efforts. It is envisioned that most projects initiated by the group will be taken over <br /> and operated by individual interests in the future. <br /> An exception will be projects, or portions of projects,that will be operated in combination to <br /> provide Colorado's water contribution to a basinwide recovery implementation plan. This <br /> combination of projects has been designated as the Tamarack Plan. For clarity, the Tamarack <br />