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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impact of well pumping on Colorado surface rights. Since the pumping by LAWMA members
is approximately 80 percent of the total main stem pumping below John Martin Dam, LA WMA
has claimed credit for only 80 percent of the transit loss account releases.

Table 6 shows the releases from the Kansas Transit Loss Account during water years
1980-94 and also the amounts available to LAWMA in the various river segments. The overall
average is not particularly significant in this case because it includes water released from the
transit loss account in water years 1984 and 1985 as the result of encroachments into flood
control space in John Martin Reservoir. The average during water years 1990-94 was 2,227
acre-feet annually, of which 1,254 acre-feet is claimed by LAWMA as a reduction of well
depletions above the Buffalo Canal headgate.

Any water in the transit loss account that is in excess of these transit losses ("transit
loss account residual") is released back to water users in Water District 67 and Kansas at the
end ofthe water year. The possibility of purchasing a portion of this transit loss residual from
Water District 67 ditches is discussed in a later section of this report.

Return Flow From the Frvinooan-Arkansas Proiect

A total of 27 members of LAWMA are shareholders in the Fort Lyon Canal Company,
and use their wells to supplement their surface water supply. These members own a total of
12.543 shares in the Fort Lyon Canal Company, which shares represent approximately 13.25
percent of the total shares outstanding in the company.

The Fort Lyon Canal Company purchases Fryingpan-Arkansas Project water from the
Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District and delivers this water to its shareholders
as part of its surface water supply. LAWMA believes that its Fort Lyon members are eligible.
under the policies of the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District and Fort Lyon
Canal Company, to purchase the return flow from at least their proportionate part of this
transmountain water and to take credit for it against their replacement obligations. The Fort
Lyon Canal Company and District have made similar arrangements with a group of Fort Lyon
well owners above John Martin Dam. In order to use this source, LAWMA will make the
necessary arrangements with the Fort Lyon Canal Company and District, perform the
necessary accounting, and make the necessary payments to the District out of the dues

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