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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Chapter IV - WATER The New Cache La Poudre Irrigating Company (NCLPIC), herein referred to as the Company, supplies water from two primary sources. The fIrst is the river decrees along the Poudre River. The second is the water account with the Colorado-Big Thompson Project (C- Bn. There are four (4) existing decrees on the Poudre River awarded to NCLPIC. Several of these are quite senior. The diversion structure is operated as a river regulator by the River Commissioner. That is, flows must be sustained to deliver water to the senior rights downstream of the structure. The company divides its' Irrigating season into a "river season" of seven (7) weeks and a "reservoir season" of twelve (12) weeks. During the river season, the river decrees and the C-BT account are used to run the main canal and engage in informal but traditional river exchanges with neighboring irrigation companies. The decrees are also used to replenish the Timnath Reservoir owned by its' sister company the New Cache La Poudre Reservoir Company, and, if needed, replenish the storage in Windsor Reservoir owned by Larimer and Weld Canal Company and Fossil Creek Reservoir owned by the North Poudre Irrigation Company. The general operation schematic is found on Figure IV-I. All the reservoirs are high enough to serve the Company's main canal through the reservoir season as the river declines in flow rate and Company decrees cannot be served by the River Commissioner. The Windsor Reservoir is used in an exchange of water rights with the Larimer and Weld Canal Company. Early in the river season, the NCLPIC allows some of its' water to be diverted into Windsor Reservoir for use by the Larimer and Weld Canal Company. In exchange for this water, the Larimer and Weld Canal Company provides water to NCLPIC later in the year. NCLPIC gets the water early in its' reservoir season. This water is the most important supply to NCLPIC in its' reservoir season. A similar situation applies to Fossil Creek Reservoir which is generally the next most important supply early in the reservoir season. The Company uses storage options to divert river water into this neighboring company reservoir for use in the reservoir season. It also allows the North Poudre Irrigation Company to divert water upstream of the NCLPIC canal which it uses early in the river season. In return, they release stored water of its own and/or municipal return flows into Fossil Creek for use by the NCLPIC. Timnath Reservoir is the Company's only privately-owned reservoir but is actually located within the service area. A neighboring company is next in line for reservoir supply source. NCLPIC actually uses this reservoir as a backup for all other water supply sources. Water for Timnath Reservoir is used to top off the main canal and keep the flow rate near the head constant throughout its length. PAGE-l - CbapterIV