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The existing reservoir provides supplemental water to about 1,140 acres of irrigated land. The <br /> land receives early season water from direct diversions from the LaPlata River, when the ditches <br /> are not in priority reservoir share holders can call for water from the reservoir. The 1,140 acres <br /> presently has about a 54% average annual supply. Approximately 640 acres is sprinkler <br /> irrigated, with additional sprinkler systems installed each year. There are 1,172 shares in the <br /> reservoir based on one share per acre-foot of capacity. Enlargement of the reservoir would <br /> provide about 2,500 acre-feet of additional irrigation storage, assuming that all of the water was <br /> used on the present 1,140 acres the average annual supply would increase to about 88%. The <br /> irrigation water would still be shorted in dry years. <br /> In addition to providing irrigation water, the enlargement would include 330 acre-feet of <br /> domestic water storage. The reservoir would be operated so that the domestic water always had <br /> a full supply. <br /> A daily operation study of the LaPlata River from 1975 to 1992 showed that there is sufficient <br /> water available under the Company's 120 cfs diversion right from the LaPlata River and 4,070 <br /> acre-feet of storage rights to use all or most of the enlarged capacity in 16 of the 18 year study <br /> period. <br /> Feasibility level cost estimates in 1995 for the enlargement resulted in an estimated project cost <br /> of$3,000,000. The CWCB will provide a construction loan for 75% of the cost, $2,250,000 at <br /> 4.1% for 30 years. The Company will provide 25% of the construction cost and the annual debt <br /> service through assessments to existing shares but primarily through sale of new irrigation and <br /> domestic shares. The domestic water shares would be charged about 10 times the cost of <br /> irrigation water. <br /> Conclusion <br /> The project as described in this report is not feasible due to the inability of the Red Mesa Ward <br /> Reservoir and Ditch Company to divert it's winter water rights into Red Mesa Reservoir. <br /> 2 <br />