BOARD00313

• Board Meeting Date: 11/25/2002
• Description: CF Section - New Loans - Stromberg Land & Cattle Company LLC - Groundwater Augmentation
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
www.cwcb.state.co.us

MEMORANDUM

TO:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

Bruce Johnson. P.E. ~~.U'
Mike Serlet, P.E., Chief . .
Water Supply Planning an Finance Section

FROM:

DATE: November 15, 2002

Bill Owens
Governor

Greg E. Walcher
Executive Director

Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

SUBJECT: Agenda Item 20b, November 25-26, 2002 Board Meeting
Water Supply Planning and Finance Section - New Loans
Stromberger Land & Cattle Company LLC - Groundwater Augmentation

Introduction

The Stromberger Land & Cattle Company (SLCC) is applying for a $414,000 Small Project Loan from
the Construction Fund to construct a system of recharge ponds and wells to replace out-of-priority
irrigation well depletions. The estimated total cost of the project is $460,000. Please see the attached
project summary and map.

Backaround

The SLCC owns a private family farm operation located 15 miles north of Sterling in Logan County,
near the town of Iliff. The farm is located on the south side of the South Platte River adjacent to 1-
76, crossing 10 sections of land. SLCC has approximately 1923 acres of sprinkler irrigated farm
ground, The ground is irrigated with 12 tributary groundwater wells, which were drilled in the late
1960's and early 1970's. The wells pump on average 5000 acre-feet annually. The water is
typically used to irrigate corn, alfalfa, beans and wheat. The 12 wells are currently augmented
under the Groundwater Appropriators of the South Platte (GASP plan of operation,

With no ties to a ditch or reservoir system. the SLCC is completely dependent on its 12 wells. which
have very junior water rights. As such SLCGis required to replace depletions from well pumping
when there is a senior water right "call" on the river. SLCC has successfully used GASP for the
past 30 years to cover depletions on these wells, GASP operates on a year-to-year basis with no
guarantee of continued coverage. The current drought has brought to the foreground the difficulty
of providing augmentation for well users. The applicant states that GASP has indicated that if the
drought continues well pumping may be curtailed next year, even for its members.

Flood Protection. Water Supply Planning and Finance. Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation and Drought Planning