BOARD00114

• Board Meeting Date: 5/21/2001
• Description: CF Section - Lower South Platte Water Conservancy District ‎(Water Activity Enterprise)‎ - Augmentation and Groundwater Recharge Project
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

Lower South Platte Water Conservanoy District Agenda Item 7b. ;
May 21-22, 2001

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This project is a high priority and eligible for a cwes Small Project loan. If the project is not .
completed this spring, it may be necessary for the $tate Engineer to curtail Junior wells in
summer 2001. Delaying the project until summer 2002 would pose a hardship on constituents
served by the borrower due to the loss of crops caused by diminished water supply.

Feaslbllltv Studies .
Jon Altenhofen, P.E., NCWCD, has completed a co~t estimate and a finai draft feasibility study for
the project The study Includes an assessment lof alternatives available to the District for
augmentation of junior wells.

The Lower South Platte Water Conservancy Olstr\.9t
The LSPWCD WaS formed In accordance with the Water Conservancy Act of Colorado with
decree date of May 8, 1964. There are 375,000 acres within the District assessed at Yo mill.
These taxes are collected through the county tax cqllection process.

In 1993 the LSPWCD established (by resolution) a water activity enterprise In accordance with
CRS 37-45,1-101. The Enterprise is authorized to ~ke on debt repayable from Its revenues.

Water Rlahts
The augmentation well of this project will operate a~ a new junior water right. The new well will
be permitted for 3,000 gpm (6.7 ets) to pump an average of 1,500 acre-feet per year for
purposes of augmenting and replacing the depletioRs of Irrigation wells in Water District 64. The
Substitute Water Supply Plan of LSPWCD will be amended to deal with State Engineer water
right administration and permitting Issues for the construction and use of this new augmentation
well, The recharge portion of this project will come ~nder the JID recharge water right
application Case No. 95CW282.

Prolect DescrlDtlon
Three alternatives were analyzed in the feasibility study:

1. The no-action alternative.
2. Construct an augmentation well and groundwater recharge ponds.
3. Construct a reservoir. i
i

Alternative 2, Construct an augmentation well and groundwater recharge ponds, was the
preferred alternative because of the low cost per acre foot, and the speed with which the project
could be placed on line (summer 2001). Alternatlve:3, Construct 8 reservoir, was ruled out due
to cost. The no-actlon altematlve was considered unacceptable since it could lead to curtailment
of junior wells on the lower South Platte River.

Selected Alternative 2 consists of the following:

Table 1: LSPWCD ,;.ro ect Costs

.

Estimated Cost
45,000
$15000
$10,000
$15000
$15000 ..
$20,000
$120 000

2