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<br />(}00532. <br />. . <br /> <br />Page 12 <br />December 4, <br /> <br />197. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />ISSUE NO.6 <br /> <br />\ <br /> <br />I <br />be given p'reference in the <br /> <br />\ <br /> <br />\ <br /> <br />Should the surface water appropriators <br />granting of wells in the unconfined aquifer? <br /> <br />YES <br /> <br />1. The recharge of the unconfined aquifer comes primarily from <br />application of water by surface decree holders. <br /> <br />2. Granting of well permits to persons who do not irrigate <br />by surface water diversions deplete the aquifer and interfere with <br />sub-irrigation as historically practiced for many years, <br /> <br />3, All cf the water, including that in the unconfined aquifer, <br />is already appropriated a,nd further appropriations are injurious to <br />existing water users. <br /> <br />4. In some cases, well permi ts granted intercept return <br />flow to the surface stream diminishing the water available for de- <br />livery to the compact thereby increasing the obligation to senior <br />wa ter rights. <br /> <br />5. If wells are granted indiscriminately to non-surface <br />water irrigators, the water level in the unconfined aquifer is lowered, <br />lessening the pressure differential between the confined and uncon- <br />fined aquifers and permitting additional leakage from the confined <br />aquifer. <br /> <br />NO <br /> <br />I. Under Colorado Water Law, return flow from surface <br />application of irrigation water reverts to the ownership of the public <br />and the right to divert unappropriated water can not be denied, <br /> <br />2. Sub-irrigation is wasteful of water since the higher <br />water table increases evaporation and non-beneficial consumptive <br />use, renders many thousands of acres of land unusable b8cause <br />of salt deposits, and encourages the growth of phreatophytes. <br /> <br />3, In areas where ground water withdrawal lowers the water <br />table, land can be reclaimed and put back into production benefi.tting <br />the economy of the San Luis Valley, <br /> <br />4. 'Nater in the unconfined aquifer in areas of extremely <br />shallow water table could be salvaged from evaporation and non- <br />beneficial consumptive use, <br />