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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />BOX SPRINGS WATER RIGHTS <br /> <br />The Box Springs Canal has the most senior water right in the lower reach of Horse <br />Creek basin. The canal has a decreed capacity of 449.5 cfs and was developed during the <br />period from 1899 to 1909. Box Springs is able to divert water under its water rights <br />during two circumstances: 1) the regular or normal flow of Horse Creek; and 2) flooding <br />that occurs during heavy rains and thunderstorms. A listing of Box Springs direct flow and <br />storage rights is presented in Table 1. <br /> <br />The D. V. Burrell Seed Company supplemented crop water requirements with <br />groundwater and constructed the first battery of wells in 1914. Over 20 irrigation wells <br />have been constructed on the Carter and Markus properties; however, the total pumping <br />capacity of these wells is limited to about 3.5 cfs by decree. Although the permitted and <br />decreed pumping amounts are relatively large. the actual yield of the wells is adequate for <br />supplemental irrigation of approximately 20 acres. According to Kenneth Carter, the yield <br />of the Box Springs wells has declined at least 90 percent over the last 60 years due to the <br />depletion of the groundwater aquifers. In past years, it was possible to supplement crop <br />water requirements with groundwater for approximately 170 acres. Following wet years <br />and subsequent increased surface irrigation under the Box Springs system, well production <br />would increase for a period of time. Due to lack of recharged groundwater resulting from <br />decreased surface irrigation on the Box Springs land and very thin water bearing material <br />of the aquifer. well yields have become very poor. A listing of the Carter and Markus wells <br />under the Box Springs system is presented in Table 2. <br /> <br />3 <br />