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<br />I <br />~ <br /> <br />... <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />of applicants' wells on the Smith springs, and did net consider <br /> <br />the annual recharge or surface runoff of the basin as a whole. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Even if it can be held to be the responsibility of applicants to <br /> <br /> <br />demonstrate that there is water ~~lable for appropr~~~on, the <br /> <br /> <br />applicants have sustained th~t- nn,.."".Pll by a preponderance of the <br /> <br /> <br />evidence. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />19, In light of the fact that all parties concede that <br />this 1s a basin which should be considered as a whole, it is <br />apparent that, in the basin, there is. water avai1ab~e for appro- <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />pr1ati'on. T,l-.-4 ~ 1~ &'lflJ3SPtea e~ ~he iSEil:laRS8 a: eh: t:8'11 pOl"mi ts <br />4)../1 fP'<-....;-b <br />~ permitted the appropriation of 8100 acre feet a year from <br /> <br />the 14 irrigation wells (Exhibit 2). Applicants have testified <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />that they intend to conduct a program df'monitoring their own <br />water table levels, moni1;oring the.flow of the Smith'springs, <br />inducing increased runoff by causing snow retention through the <br />construction of snow fences, and increasing the groundwater <br />.recharge through shallow infiltration ponds. All of the engineers <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />testified that if the monitoring program indicates any depletion <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />of the Smith springs, there are no practical engineering problems <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />in physically delivering water from applicants' wells to the Smith <br />springs to maintain their historic flow. The undisouted testimony <br />- <br /> <br />a1so'is that the operatj.on of' "pp1 {o.nt"' "<f,~ls ,,<i].l not ~r.!..:ct <br />..-- <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />the historic surface runoff of the basin. <br />_.-.-._-~....-_.._~_............ "------~_..- <br /> <br />20. Dr. Bittinger testified that the only efficient way <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />to utilize a groundwater reservoir 1s through the practl~e of <br /> <br />drawing down the water levels of such a reservoir in times of <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />shortage and to replenish such reservoirs in years of above <br /> <br />aver~8e recharge. He testified that to maintain a full reservoir <br /> <br />at all times is not an effiCient use of the res~rvol~, and, ~~ <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />fact, would destroy its utility as a reservoir and would prevent <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />the 1otegra.tlon of underground water and surface .....ate:- and .would <br /> <br /> <br />frustrate the ability to maximize the beneficial use of all of <br /> <br />the water. This 1s born out by the testimony of all of tJ,€ <br /> <br />I <br />