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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />May 11-12, 1998 CWCB Meeting <br />Agenda Item 29c, CLOSED BASIN PROJECT ISSUES <br />Page 5 of6 <br /> <br />How would water users be affected by the proposed reduction of the mill levy <br />and the proposed payment for water? This question includes aspects that will be <br />difficult for us to answer. The issues related to the District's mill levy should be <br />addressed to the District. <br /> <br />With regard to any additional payments by the water users for all the water that <br />has been pumped in the past and will be pumped in the future, this is likely to cause some <br />hardship on any affected individuals, irrigation districts, conservancy districts, ete, The <br />terms and conditions under which the Closed Basin Project was developed, funded, and <br />operated were reviewed in advance by the water users in the San Luis Valley, the <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board, the Colorado State Engineer, the Colorado General <br />Assembly and by the United States Congress, among many others, Without some <br />significant change of circumstances, the reason for changing such basic terms and <br />conditions is unclear. The Board has loaned construction fund moneys to many irrigation <br />districts, conservancy districts, and individuals in the San Luis Valley, At the present <br />time, the Board has 32 active loans with individuals or entities within the San Luis <br />Valley, Imposing any additional financial obligation on water users would have some <br />effect upon the feasibility study calculations prepared for loan authorizations. However, <br />without reviewing each one individually, we cannot say that any ofthe feasibility studies <br />would necessarily have come to significantly different conclusions. <br /> <br />Is the state collecting and monitoring adequate information to identify and <br />evaluate significant changes in consumptive use? The state monitors consumptive <br />uses by assuring that uses of water comply with the appropriate decrees and permits, <br />specifically irrigated acreage, Development of the Rio Grande Decision Support System <br />(RGDSS) will improve our understanding of the relationship between the aquifers <br />(confined and unconfined) and the Rio Grande stream systems, Consumptive use data <br />will be collected through the process of developing the RGDSS, <br /> <br />It has been suggested that all wells must have meters to accurately determine <br />consumptive use, However, water volume measurements from meters on irrigation wells <br />in a shallow unconfined aquifer system such as the system in the San Luis Valley usually <br />do not equal consumptive use, Consumptive use is dependent on irrigated acreage and <br />crop type, In many cases water in excess of that needed to satisfy the irrigation <br />requirement of a crop is pumped from a well and applied to the crop, This over <br />application of water exceeds the water holding capacity of the soil and water returns to <br />the aquifer through percolation below the crop root zone, The apparent excess applied <br />water returns to the aquifer system and is again available to wells, Therefore, the true <br />measure of consumptive use from irrigation wells in the unconfined aquifer is determined <br />by irrigated acreage and crop irrigation requirement that is the current method used by the <br />state, Use of only well meter readings are likely to be misleading, <br /> <br />Attachments <br /> <br />cc: <br /> <br />Charles Bedford <br />Randy Seaholm <br />Steve VanDiver <br />Jennifer Gimbel <br />