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<br />Union Ditch Company
<br />Marcl116-17,2004
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<br />Agenda Item 251
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<br />developed recharge storage capacity to offset the depletions from 40 wells, The Augmentation .
<br />Plan includes several replacement sources in addition to the recharge structures, including
<br />Company owned shares in the Union Reservoir, retiming wells, by-passed senior water rights,
<br />leased water rights, and excess augmentation credits from other augmentation plans,
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<br />UDC, with the assistance of Agua Engineering, lnc" also recently completed a technical study of
<br />recharge opportunities titled "Final Report - Union Ditch Company, Recharge Project Potential,"
<br />The purpose of this study was to identify and evaluate potential recharge sites and structures, as
<br />well as to recommend the methodologies to be used in the management and administration of the
<br />recharge project,
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<br />Feasibility Studies
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<br />Aqua Engineering, Inc, of Fort Collins has completed the feasibility study in accordance with CWCB
<br />guidelines, The study includes an assessment of alternatives to provide replacement water for the
<br />augmentation of tributary ground water wells,
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<br />Union Ditch Companv
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<br />The UDC is a mutual ditch company and a non-profit corporation registered in the State of
<br />Colorado. The UDC was incorporated on April 1 ,1874, There are 250 shares of UDC stock held
<br />by 57 users. Currently, all shares are agricultural. UDC has the power to set annual assessments
<br />to be paid by the shareholders, the power to cut off water deliveries to shareholders that fail to pay
<br />their assessments, and the power to offer stock for sale to pay back assessments,
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<br />Water Riahts
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<br />The primary source of water for the Union Ditch Company is direct flow water rights out of the South
<br />Platte River, In addition, Union also has an absolute storage right in the Union Reservoir and a
<br />right to seepage through the Union FDR (feeder) No, 1, The direct flow water rights diverted at the
<br />Union Ditch headgate consist of two rights with appropriation dates of 1874 and 1881, totaling
<br />184,03 cfs, State Engineer's records indicate that the historical average annual diversions (1950
<br />through 2002) are 27,067 acre-feet. The Union FDR No, 1 water right has an appropriation date of
<br />1893 for a total decreed amount of 20 cfs, State Engineer's records indicate that the historical
<br />average annual seepage to the Union Ditch (1950 through 2002) is 1,860 acre-feet. UDC currently
<br />owns 5,75 shares of 250 total shares of stock in the Union Reservoir. The Union Reservoir has
<br />two absolute storage rights decreed to it with appropriation dates of 1902 and 1973, for a total
<br />decreed amount of 19,098 acre-feet.
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<br />The Union Ditch Company also filed for an application for water rights in December 2003 (Case No,
<br />03 CW 404), Water that is available through this new junior appropriation, and any other additional
<br />water sources that can be used for recharge, are expected to serve as the water source for the
<br />recharge project. Water will be delivered through the ditch and into the recharge ponds where
<br />seepage will occur through both the canal itself and recharge ponds, The water recharged to the
<br />aquifer will eventually return to the river, in a time lagged manner, where it will be used to augment
<br />stream depletions,
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<br />Proiect Description
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<br />The purpose of this project is to develop a UDC recharge project, which is expected to provide .
<br />replacement water for the augmentation of 40 tributary ground water wells, This will require that
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