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<br />j <br /> <br />,<!E)berlanb 1llitrb anb jL\e~erboir QCompanp <br />1321 2900 Road Hotchkiss, CO 81419 <br />Phone I Fax (970) 872 - 3586 <br /> <br />August 7,2002 <br /> <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />Rod Kuharich, Director <br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 721 <br />Denver, CO 80203 <br /> <br />RE: LOAN CONTRACT' C153307 <br /> <br />Dear Board of Directors: <br /> <br />In this year of record setting drought, all irrigation companies were impacted to some <br />~ree, some more so than others. The Overland Ditch and Reservoir Company is one <br />entity that has seen its worst year ever. For that reason, we are respectfully requesting a <br />deferment of our December loan payment of $31,076.00. <br /> <br />, The 135 shareholder families of the Overland raise alfalfa, grass hay, smaD grain, <br />com, and fruit, as well as a small amount of vegetables and vineyards on about 5000 ' <br />acres. On an average year the Overland delivers over 13,000 acre feet of water to its ' <br />irrigators. Of that, 6,200 acre feet comes from our only reservoir, while the remaining (7,000 <br />acre feet +) is from run-off from several creeks we hold decrees on. This year we were only <br />able to deliver 700 acre feet of run-off ( 10% of average) and 3,000 feet of reservoir water <br />(less than SOOk) for a total of of 3700 acre feet or 28% of average. What was even more <br />damaging was the hot, windy spring and summer that made this limited amount of water <br />even less efficient than normal along with a late spring freeze. that stressed the crops even <br />more. Delta County, our county of operation, has been declared a disaster area, but <br />federal programs do not help. Our limited irrigation season ended on July 11 tho Most of our <br />fanners and ranchers curtailed their irrigation to about 40% of their irrigated acres with about <br />20 - 25% total yield. Uke many of the ranchers in the State, most of ours have sold a <br />portion of their herdS, using that money to buy scarce and expensive hay. Lately, while <br />other areas in the State have received monsoonal rains, we have only experienced a few <br />clouds. <br /> <br />The Overland Ditch and Reservoir Company did make its June loan payment of <br />$35,255.30 (contract # C153527), For the reasons stated above, we are asking you to <br />use your discretionary powers to provide some drought relief and defer our December loan <br />, payment If you have any questions, and I or would like an Overland Board member to <br />attend your next meeting, please contact us. ' <br /> <br />iEe~ <br /> <br />Peter Kasper, President <br />