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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Mr. Steve Ripply, Mayor Town of New Castle Page 2 July 25, 1995 The augmentation plan provides a legal water supply for the full development of the Castle Valley Ranch and represents a commitment by the Town to supply the water under its New Castle Water Works System and Pipeline. The Town's senior water right for 2.67 cfs isa relatively senior priority in the Elk Creek drainage. It is the No. 1 non-irrigation season priority and as such is not subject to an administrative call. Non-irrigation season water shortage is not anticipated unless the Town's service area reaches at least 12,000 persons. The Town's junior water right for 10.0 cfs is very junior and is subject to a call much of the time. It can not be considered a reliable water right. The irrigation season presents a potential problem. The senior water right in the New Castle Water Works System Pipeline is not the no. 1 priority. In fact, even on East Elk Creek it falls behind the Coryell Ditch, first and second priorities for 2.8 cfs and 1.7 cfs respectively and the Connally Ditch, first priority for 1.60 cfs. There are 6.1 cfs of water rights on East Elk Creek senior to the Town. The most senior 2.8 cfs is dedicated to Castle Valley Ranch. The Ware and Hinds Ditch diverts from Main Elk Greek. The ditch carries approximately 26 cfs of water rights senior to the Town of New Castle Water Works System and Pipeline. Historically the Connally and the Ware and Hinds Ditches have placed a call on the creek during the irrigation season. Although the New Castle Water Works System and Pipeline, which diverts a maximum of about 1 cfs, has not been called out, it is our opinion the Town's water right could be limited by an administrative call during the irrigation season if demand increased. PHYSICAL SUPPLY The USGS maintains a stream gage on East Elk Creek above Boiler Creek which is above the main diversion on the creek. The period of record is 1990 to present. We have included copies of the mean daily flows for this gage for water years 1991 through 1994. A review of the records show that the flows during the late irrigation season frequently fall below 10 cfs and in September, 1994 were as low as 7.0 cfs. The water rights on East I;lk Creek which are senior to the Town total 6.1 cfs, leaving less than 1 cfs for the Town. The physical water supply in East Elk Creek is not sufficient to fully satisfy the Town's 2.67 cfs water right when the otheF senior rights _ are being used. In 1994 the' Town diverted just under 1.0 cfs during the peak irrigation season. It is our unc:lerstanding that the Town has diverted as much as 1.07 cfs (480 gpm) at its maximum. We believe that 1.0 cfs or less is all that would be available under the Town's water right in a dry year. 55555RESDURCE ..... ..... E :'\..I c; ; Nt:: :::'.l , '" GIN C