PROJ00495

• Contract/PO #: C153678
• Contractor Name: Lower Arkansas Water Management Association
• Contract Type: Loan
• Water District: 67
• County: Prowers
• Bill Number: SB 96-124
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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to be LAWMA members. Absent LAWMA membership, their pumping would be limited
pursuant to the 1973 Rules and Regulations or under more stringent rules and regulations.

ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES AND OPTIONS

The objectives of this study included the formulation of an augmentation program to
replace LAWMA's well depletions both to Colorado surface rights and to usable Stateline flow.
As previously discussed, the well depletions for which LAWMA anticipates making
replacements averaged approximately 9,099 acre-feet annually to Colorado surface rights and
7,976 acre-feet annually to usable Stateline flow during water years 1990-94. These levels
of depletion are considered representative and realistic in this study for use in assessing the
feasibility of the recommended replacement program.

At the outset of the study, it was apparent that there were only two practical
possibilities for the basic framework of the augmentation program. One possibility was a
program to be developed by LAWMA for LAWMA members only. Since LAWMA's members
are situated primarily below John Martin Dam, LAWMA's program would involve primarily
downstream depletions and downstream replacements. The other possibility was for LA WMA
to join with other well users and become part of a larger program. Since most of the other
well users are situated upstream from John Martin Dam, this possibility would involve some
form of a "valley-wide" program. Both of these possibilities had advantages over the other
in certain areas. In particular, a valley-wide program offered opportunities in reducing
conflicts with surface right owners and in reducing competition for specific water sources.

The deliberations of the Arkansas River Coordinating Committee revealed that a valley-
wide program was not practical in the Arkansas River Valley, in part because the Southeastern
Colorado Water Conservancy District objected to entering into a contract for all presently
unused return flows from Fryingpan-Arkansas Project deliveries to be left in the river for the
benefit of all well owners, including those outside,the District. In addition, water rights in
Water District 67, which tend to be less expensive than water rights further upstream, are not
generally effective to replace depletions to Colorado rights upstream from John Martin
Reservoir. Therefore, it was more practical for LAWMA to develop an augmentation program
for its members.

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