C150134 Contract

• Contract/PO #: C150134
• Contractor Name: Arkansas Groundwater Users Association
• Contract Type: Grant
• Water District: 0
• Bill Number: SB02S-001
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Contract Documents

, ROCKY MOUNTAIN CONSUleTS, INC,

A TETRA TeCH COMPANY

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Mr. Mike Serlet, P.E.
Colorado Water Conservation Board
1313 Shennan Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203

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1900 S,Sunset Street. SUite l-F
Longmont, CO 8050'
[phone]
FAX [phone]

Re: Arkansas Groundwater Users Association. Request for Financial Assistance

Dear Mr_ Serlet,

On behalf of the AIkansas Groundwater Users Association (AGUA), I would like to request
financial assistance from the $1,000,000 State of Colorado severance tax fund set aside by the
legislature (SB 02S-00 I) to aid water users during this severe drought. AGUA is an association
of well owners in the Arkansas basin that represents approximately 400 wells used primarily for
agricultural purposes, but including a few municipal, domestic and commercial wells. The
CWCB staff and board arc acquainted with AGUA as it has previously obtained a Construction
Fund loan for the purchase of water rights.

AGUA was hit especially hard this year, first by the reduced yield of its overall supply of
replacement water from Pueblo, the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District, and its
own ditch shares, then again when the Board of Water Works of Pueblo suspended delivery of
water under its contract to AGUA. Pueblo's action was caused by an unprecedented call on the
AIkansas River causing the majority of its direct flow rights to be out-of-priority, an occurrence
that had never happened before. As a result, AG U A has suffered financially by having to search
for and obtain other water, leading to increased water and operating expenses. AGUA has
implemented dramatic pumping limitations on its members to provide conservation during this
extreme drought year. Members are generally limited to pumping equal to 60 percent of their
previous 5-year average orders.

Nonna1!y water from Pueblo has cost AGUA $8.00 per acre-fool. Because of the demand this
year the cost was $18.00 per acre-fool. AGUA expects to use a total of approximately 2,150
acre-feet from Pueblo through the end ofthe plan year Oll Mareh 31; 2003. Thus use of this water
represents an increase in cost to the association of $21,500. Further, to replace the Pueblo waler
that was lost, AGUA has purchased appto){imately 1,400 acre-feel of Colorado Springs Utilities
return flows for $18.00 per ltcre-foot at the Las Vegas WWTP. The cost at the Arkansas River
after transit losses is approximately $20.00 per acre-foot. The additional cost to AGUA for this
water is $12.00 per acre-foot or $16,800. Finally, AGUA has had to purchase water from the Las
Animas Consolidated Canal (450 acre-fect at $25.00 per acre-foot = $11,250), and from the
Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District (135 acre-feet at $6.50 per acre-foot and 500
acre-feet at $8.25 per acre-foot = $5,002.50). The total extra cost to AGUA from these purchases
is approximately $54,550.

CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING' PLANNING
www.rmcCO.com

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