C153771 Feasibility Study

• Contract/PO #: C153771
• Contractor Name: Horse Creek Water Users Association
• Contract Type: Loan
• Water District: 17
• County: Crowley
• Bill Number: HCL
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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Need for the Project

The HCWUA is undertaking this project to provide an augmentation
plan for junior well users in the service area. These wells are
used for irrigation of approximately 5330 acres of agricultural
land. Without the augmentation plan, these junior wells will be
shut down by the State Engineer as being out of compliance with
new rules applicable to the Arkansas River Basin.

Alternatives Evaluated

Alternatives considered include 1) Don't establish an augmentation
plan, 2) Establish an augmentation plan based on the purchase of
certain Box Springs water rights, and 3) Establish an augmentation
plan based on the purchase of certain other water rights.

A subjective evaluation of the alternatives follows:

1. Don't establish an augmentation plan:

Members of the HCWUA will have their wells permanently
curtailed and their land will revert to dry grazing land with
a value of about $200 per acre. This represents a loss in
value of about $800 per acre, and a total loss of about $4.2
million for the 5330 acres of irrigated land within the
service area. Although feasible, this choice is not
desirable.

2. Establish an augmentation plan based on the purchase of
certain Box Springs water rights:

The Box Springs water rights are the senior surface rights in
the Horse Creek basin, and the only rights in the basin of
sufficient quantity to establish an augmentation plan for the
HCWUA. The Horse Creek basin is not tributary to the
Arkansas River, so an augmentation plan based on these rights
would be in priority up to the limits established by the
plan. This alternative is feasible, and is the preferred
alternative.

3. Establish an augmentation plan based on the purchase of
certain other water rights:

This would r~quire purchase of water rights from outside the
Horse Creek basin, and the construction of a delivery system
to get water to the Box Springs headgate. This alternative
may be feasible, but is not the preferred alternative because
of the added cost of the delivery system.

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