BOARD01641

• Board Meeting Date: 3/21/2006
• Description: CF Section - Construction Fund and Severance Tax Trust Fund Perpetual Base Account New Loans - Abbott Ranch - Well Replacement Project
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

e

e

e

STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

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

MEMORANDUM

Bill Owens
Governor

TO:

Russell George
Executive Director

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

Bruce Johnson, P.E. (tF!C;} ;
Mike Serlet, P.E., Chief<...~At/
Water Supply Planning and/FTri'ance Section

FROM:

Rod Kuharich
ewes Director

Rick Brown
Acting Deputy Director

DATE: March 10, 2006

SUBJECT: Agenda Item 17b, March 21-22, 2006 Board Meeting
Water Supply Planning and Finance Section - New Project Loans
Abbott Ranch - Well Replacement Project

Introduction

The Abbott Ranch has applied for a $153,900 loan from the Severance Tax Trust Fund Perpetual
Base Account, to replace an existing irrigation well and to construct a new well and sprinkler supply
pipeline. The estimated total cost of the project is $170,953, Please see the attached Project Data
Sheet.

BackClround

The Abbott Ranch is located in Elbert County, approximately 10 miles northeast of the Town of
Kiowa. It consists of 1727 acres, of which 150 acres are irrigated, and the remainder is in dry-land
pasture. Additionally, the ranch has an adjacent 320 acre State lease that is utilized for cattle
grazing, The Ranch relies on two main revenue streams, cattle sales and hay sales. The cattle
operation maintains 100 head of Maine Anjou/Angus bred cows producing on the average 100
calves (75 for market), In addition, the Ranch produces high quality horse hay for sale in the area,
with any low quality hay being used as cattle feed. Currently, the Ranch produces 300 tons of hay
on the 150 acres, with 70% being available for sale as horse hay,

For irrigation, the Ranch uses one alluvial well that is, 80 feet deep, in the Bijou Creek alluvium of
the Kiowa-Bijou Designated Basin. There is a one half-pivot (lower 70 acres) west of Comanche
Creek, and one whole pivot (upper 80 acres) east of the Creek. The existing well feeds the lower
center half-pivot first and then feeds the upper whole pivot by an interconnecting pipeline. The well
was originally drilled in 1959 and was replaced in 1975. The well permit allows an annual
withdrawal of 400 AF at 700 gpm. Historically, the well pumped at 700 gpm which prOduced 6 tons
per acre or a total of 900 tons. Due to deterioration of the casing pipe, the well can only pump 250
gpm, and production has been reduced to 2 tons/acre, or a total of 300 tons annually,

The proposed project is to replace the existing well (permit issued), and drill a new "Alternate Point
of Diversion" well, along with construction of 21 00 lineal feet of supply piping from the new well to

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