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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 />CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS <br /> <br />The Horse Creek basin is over developed and over appropriated. Consumptive use <br />of water exceeds the safe yield of the basin and, as a result, groundwater levels, spring <br />discharges, and streamflows have declined.' A large expansion in water usage and <br />irrigated acreage in the basin began to occur in the late 1940's and early 1950's. The <br />resulting reduction in year-round streamflows in the basin has caused material injury to the <br />senior Box Springs Canal. This injury is evidenced by Box Springs diversion records, a <br />documented reduction in crop yields, visual observations by Kenneth Carter, and a <br />reduction in the acreage that can be irrigated with the available water supply. <br /> <br />The owners of the Box Springs Canal have drilled extensively across the property <br />in an effort to develop a supplemental groundwater supply. The aquifer characteristics are <br />not suitable for significant groundwater production and it is concluded that there is no <br />reasonable alternative available to Box Springs for mitigation of its injury. <br /> <br />The Box Springs Canal water right has the most senior priority in the lower Horse <br />Creek basin. Water can be diverted on a year-round basis for storage, winter replenish- <br />ment of soil moisture, and direct summer irrigation. The year,round storage and diversion <br />system employed by Box Springs is capable of making efficient beneficial use of the <br />available streamflow in Horse Creek. Prior to depletion of the natural streamflow by <br />upstream wells and various illegal water diversions, the Box Springs Canal provided a <br />reasonably adequate water supply for 600 acres. Three to four cfs was available during <br />winter for replenishment of soil moisture and the irrigation season supply was adequate <br />through at least mid summer. <br /> <br />Analysis of diversion records indicates that the Box Springs water supply declined <br />in fairly rapid response to well development in the lower Horse Creek basin. This response <br />indicates that recovery of streamflows at Box Springs might be equally rapid if upstream <br /> <br />'Office of the State Engineer, op. cit., p. 38. <br /> <br />13 <br />