BOARD00347

• Board Meeting Date: 1/22/2003
• Description: CF Section - Low Line Ditch Company
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

Low Line Ditch Company
January 22-23, 2003

Agenda Item 19h

The Low Line Ditch Comoanv A
The LLDC is a Colorado non-profit Ditch Company registered in the State of Colorado. There .,
are 14 shareholders and 320 shares of stock. The LLDC has the power to set annual
assessments to be paid by the shareholders and the power to refuse to deliver water to
shareholders that fail to pay their assessments.

Water Riqhts
The LLDC has rights to divert 39.9 cfs from the South Platte River under an 1882 decree. The
LLDC diverts on average approximately 6,650 acre-feet of water per year through their ditch

The 14 shareholders of the LLDC also have decrees on 13 wells used for irrigating the 2,0?(
acres under their system. These wells are currently augmented through GASP. The LLDC
diverts on average approximately 1,200 acre-feet of water per year through these 13 wells.

Profect Descriotion ,
Three alternatives were analyzed in the feasibility study:

1) Don't build a project. Continue to rely solely upon GASP for augmentation.

2) Purchase a senior water right and use it for augmentation.

3) Construct a series of recharge ponds and an augmentation well to generate the needed _
augmentation credits. ...

Alternative 1: "Don't build a project. Continue to solely rely upon GASP for augmentation." is
not a feasible alternative. LLDC would continue to depend on GASP for augmentation, and
upon supplies secured by GASP on a one-year lease basis. If any of these leases are not
renewed or cannot be renewed because of the extreme drought conditions, the LLDC could not
operate their wells. This would be an annual loss of approximately 1,200 acre-feet.

Alternative 2: "Purchas~ a senior water right and use it for augmentation." The LLDC could
purchase the farm controlling the Ramsey Ditch that has a 12 cfs direct flow right dated August
1894. In order to obtain the water right, the entire farm would have to be purchased at a price of
$1.25 million, not including the legal fees associated with converting the water right over to
augmentation use. This alternative is not financially feasible for the LLDC.

Alternative :3, Construct a series of recharge ponds and an augmentation well to generate the
needed augmentation credits, would use the Low Line Ditch to divert water from the river during
the winter months when there is generally not a call on the river. Water from the ponds would
return to the river by underground percolation during the summer time while the LLDC has
depletions that need to be offset with augmentation water. The augmentation well would supply
water directly to the river during the most severe drought situation. The cost of this alternative is
$105,000, and it is the preferred alternative.

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