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~'Ooa92 ? ~ -. . Summary of Other Items Discussed at the Mitigation Meeting of November 24, 1980, Closed Basin Division, San Luis Valley Project, Colorado (Generally in order of discussion with main results transferred to narrative summaries in the accompanying enclosure) 1. Provisions of Public Law 96-375 (sec. 6) were reviewed which amended some portions of Public Law 92-514, the authorizing legislation. 2. A trial is upcoming for San Marco Pipeline Company's application for a con- ditional water right decree. This application is for about 15,000 acre-feet of ground water per year from the area of Mesita, Colorado, which would feed a coal slurry pipeline. Potential effects to the San Luis Valley and the project divi- sion were discussed. 3. Project division areas having a water table depth of 2.5 feet or less aggre- gated about 20,385 acres in the spring-summer of 1978, and about 21,558 acres in the spring-summer of 1979 (a "wet" year). However, project division areas having a water table depth of 2.5 to 5.0 feet aggregated about 39,671 acres in the spring-summer of 1978 and about 26,561 acres in the spring-summer of 1979. A tabulation of these data is also enclosed. 4. The Colorado State Engineer's response (October 7, 1980) was reviewed regarding water use6 for mitigation alternatives. Generally, while Colorado water laws are sensitive to higher consumptive uses, greater aquifer drawdowns, and injury to other water users, there appears to be some latitude in applying for change of water use or points of use (e.g., the Emperious tract in Stage 1-2). These actions would be controlled by the results of the rules and regulations case in the Colorado Supreme Court and of individual rulings by water courts. 5. The Federal Government is in the process of filing for and firming water rights in the State of Colorado for developments such as those managed by the FWS and the BLM. The quality and ajudication dates of water rights for Alamosa and Monte Vista NWR's and Blanca WHA are unknown. 6. Average evaporation pan rates exceed the average infiltration rates by about 15 times in the Stage 4 wetlands areas where 12 auger tests were performed in 1980. These augered wetland areas commonly receive Some spring-summer surface water inflow from the north and northeast. 7. Monitoring of plant reproduction should be included in long-term vegetation studies. A I-year vegetation monitoring program (long-term test well site TW3-1) is insufficient to attempt any plant vigor correlations with water table drawdown. Vegetation monitoring at fenced observation wells is projected to be continued for years of project division operation. 8. BLM personnel were concerned with whether or not conveyance channel bridges were planned to provide access to the ISO-acre eastern portion of Blanca WHA. Water and Power personnel agreed to recommend at least one bridge for this purpose. The meeting consensus was that one such bridge would be adequate.