PROJ00432

• Contract/PO #: C153738
• Contractor Name: Georgetown, Town of
• Contract Type: Loan
• Water District: 6
• County: Clear Creek
• Bill Number: SB 96-153
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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Alternatives Evaluated

A range of alternatives were considered including 1) No action, 2) Purchase Ilh shares in the
Farmers High Line Canal and Reservoir Company, and 3) Lease water shares from the Vidler
Tunnel.

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A subjective evaluation of the alternatives follows:

1. No action.

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The Town will incur no additional expense for water rights at this time.

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Georgetown will depend solely on its existing water rights for raw water supply, subjecting
the Town to uncertain availability of water in the summer due to possible calling out of their
water diversion by downstream senior rignts.

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The option of purchasing needed water rights in the future to fulfill Georgetown's needs may
be precluded by higher costs for water rights or a lack of availability.

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This alternative is feasible. However, it carries a risk of Georgetown being unable to provide
sufficient water in the summer for existing use conditions. There also is the cost associated
with acquiring water rights in the future at much higher cost.

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2. Purchase Ph shares in the Farmers High Line Canal and Reservoir Company (FHL).

Georgetown will have sufficient water in the summer to provide for most of the Town's
existing use requirements, even during dry years when senior water rights would call out
diversions in the upper Clear Creek basin.

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The Town will avoid future escalation of water rights acquisition costs by purchasing them at
today's price. The current price per acre-foot of FHL water is roughly $22,800.

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Purchasing water rights from the FHL is 3 superior alternative due to the location of the
FHL's Clear Creek diversion. The diversion point is upstream of many other senior water
right diversions and relatively close to Georgetown.

Since Ilh shares is based on a worst case senecio, Georgetown could scale down the purchase
to I or I \4 shares if the cost of the FHL shares plus the cost of the augmentation plan exceed
the funds made available to Georgetown. The impact would be the occasional curtailment of
lawn watering, primarily during very dry years.

This alternative is feasible and is considered the preferred alternative.

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Feasibility Study: Town of Georgetown
Water Rights Acquisition Project
January 1996

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