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<br />'. <br /> <br />In addition, information on planting and harvest date(s), crop variety, plant density, fertilizer (timing, amounts and . <br />types) practices will be estimated based upon interviews with the farmers. In tbe case of alfalfa or hay fields, the <br />dates of harvest as well as the dates of bailing and/or removal will be documented. At the end of the season, each <br />farmer will be contacted and asked if insect and disease problems occurred that could have affected yield. <br />Additional information that will be obtained is a survey of the county crop statistics to document crop yields in each <br />of the counties where fields are located. Also, information on potential crop yields of the various crops will be <br />obtained from the CSU Arkansas Valley Research Center at Rocky Ford. At each of the fields during the early <br />season at least one set of soil samples will be collected with data for the 1 ", 2n', 3", 4th and 6th foot being collected. <br />The soil samples will be analyzed for texture, soil moisture, and soil salinity. In selected fields an automatic rainfall <br />gauge will be installed as well as an ET gauge (green cloth-covered atmometer). <br /> <br />IV. Expert Witness Preparation <br />The Colorado Division of Water Resources will make changes to the Hydrological-Institutional Model code and <br />calibration and have those changes reviewed by additional experts from Hydrosphere Resource Consultants and <br />Helton & Williamsen in order to have the revised model ready for presentation to the Special Master and to have <br />expert reports prepared by the additional experts who will provide testimony to the Special Master. Estimated cost <br />of $1 00,000 over the three year period July 1, 2004 - June 30, 2007. <br /> <br />The Special Master's Fourth Report provides his fmdings concerning the issues covered in the trial proceedings <br />during the fmal segment of the trial. One of those issues is whether or not numerous changes proposed by both <br />states to the Hydrologic-Institutional (H-I) Model, which is used to determine depletions to usable Stateline flows, <br />should be made. The Special Master accepted some of the changes proposed by both states to the H-I Model. He <br />has found that the H-I Model should be changed in accord with the recommendations that he has accepted. <br /> <br />These changes to the H-I Model need to be made by the State Engineer's Office and independently evaluated and <br />verified so that the updated model can be used to evaluate the effectiveness, for the period 1997-2003, of the current . <br />use rules to bring well into compliance with the Arkansas River Compact and to determine if changes need to be <br />made to the current well use rules before the period 1997-2006 is evaluated. Therefore, the changes that have been <br />approved by the Special Master must be implemented, the revised model must be recalibrated and tested, and the <br />revised model must be evaluated by additional experts in order to insure that all changes have been made correctly. <br />The required changes to the H-I Model need to be made and evaluated within the next year in order to allow for a <br />preliminary review of Colorado's compliance with the Arkansas River' Compact for the period 1997-2003. This <br />review is needed to determine if modifications need to be made to the amended use rules to bring wells into <br />compliance with the Arkansas River Compact that were implemented by the State Engineer in June 1996. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />~ <br />