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<br />r," . i:, 11 /, <br /> <br />9 <br /> <br />Water District 1 <br /> <br />The following statements briefly summarize findings and conclusions to <br />date: <br /> <br />1. The average annual historical supply of surface water available to <br />users in Water District 1 is adequate for irrigation requirements. <br /> <br />2. The variability of the surface supply, ranging to less than 10 <br />percent of the average during some months, makes sole dependence upon this <br />source very unsatisfactory. <br /> <br />3. Surface stcrage facilities have reduced some of the uncertainty of <br />supply by providing a better distribution of water through the season. <br />The surface storage facilities, however, are quite inefficient, and of little <br />value for long-term storage bridging a series of low runoff years. <br /> <br />4. Groundwater development and use has removed much of the uncertainty <br />of supply for those water userS fortunately situated. Subsequent exchanges <br />and leasing of reservoir shares by ditches and individuals changing to <br />greater groundwater use has tended to stabilize supplies even for those who <br />have not been able to develop groundwater supplies. <br /> <br />5. The development of groundwater, and the subsequent exchanges and <br />leasing of water, has come about haphazardly and without coordination on <br />a basin basis. Although the development has improved the distribution and <br />availability of water to most users, there has been no assurance that some <br />parties have not been adversely affected. In addition, with little or no <br />overall planning or coordination, the possibilities of achieving maximum <br />beneficial use and minimum waste are nil. <br /> <br />6. The large alluvial aquifer underlying most of the irrigated land <br />along the South Platte in Water District 1 can serve as a very efficient <br />long-term storage facility with which, assuming economic feasibility, all <br />uncertainties and inequities of supply can be virtually eliminated. The <br />planned utilization and manipulation of groundwater storage in conjunction <br />with surface water supplies, storage and conveyance facilities is referred <br />to as integrated management of groundwater and surface water. <br /> <br />7. Full integrated management of groundwater and surface water should <br />be planned for the entire basin, not just the area involved in this study, <br />in order to achieve maximum benefits. <br /> <br />8. Full integrated management of the large and complex groundwater- <br />surface water system of the South Platte Basin can be facilitated with <br />computer model studies. These computer studies can help in the design and <br />location of facilities, in the management decisions associated with oper- <br />ations and in determining benefits from the integrated management program. <br /> <br />9. Responsibilities for implementing and administering an integrated <br />management program could probably best be handled by existing water con- <br />servancy districts. Certain problems in this regard need further study <br />before legislation is proposed. <br /> <br />~,-~<^<-,,,~.-",,,-~ <br />