C153808 Feasibility Study

• Contract/PO #: C153808
• Contractor Name: Arkansas Groundwater Users Association
• Contract Type: Loan
• Water District: 14
• County: Pueblo
• Bill Number: ARA
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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The Robinson Ditch was historically used to irrigate 200 acres of alfalfa and hay grass in Section 23,
Township 17 South, Range 65 West. The Robinson Ditch was changed from irrigation use to
augmentation use by Colorado Centre Metropolit<ln District in Case No. 86CW31. The Court found in
this case that the average historic consumptive use associated with the 200 irrigated acres was 354
acre-feet. The Court also found that 24.4 percent of average April through Ooober stream depletions
did not return to Fountain Creek during the Aprillhrough October season, but instead returned to
Fountain Creek during the months of November through March.

The augmentation plan in 86CW31 allows the Robinson Ditch consumptive use and winter accretion
component of the water right to be diverted at the Fountain Mutual Ditch headgate, and allows the
water to be stored in Big Johnson Reservoir and Janitell Farms Reservoir No.1. The decree also allows
the consumptive use and winter accretion components of the Robinson Ditch to be exchanged to
Colorado Centre's infiltration galleries and wells.

The developer who acquired the water rights used in the Colorado Centre Metropolitan District
augmentation plan reportedly went bankrupt, and thus the Robinson Ditch was acquired by Mr. Robert
Norris, whose daughter originally sold the Robinson Ditch water right to the bankrupt developer. The
Robinson Ditch has, in places, been filled-in since the developer purchased the Robinson Ditch water
right from Mr. Norris' daughter. No diversions have been made through the ditch since 1986.

Table VI-4 summarizes the Robinson Ditch diversions from 1922 through 1986. Headgate diversions
averaged 1,645 acre-feet per year between 1922 and 1986, and ranged from a low of 77 acre-feet in
1961 to a maximum of 3,555 acre-feet in 1983.

Purchase of the Robinson Ditch may require AGUA to change the location and use of the water for

augmentation purposes, require AGUA to build an augmentation station or negotiate an agreement

with FMIC to use one of its augmentation stations, and require winter return flow obligations to be

replaced to Fountain Creek.

The average annual replacement credits of 467 acre-feet during the irrigation season (April through
October) would be used to offset a portion of the future April through October depletions on Fountain
Creek of 579 acre-feet. The Robinson Ditch winter return flow obligations (November through March)
are estimated to average approximately 86 acre-feet per year.

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