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<br />The other major ditches are the Chicago Ditch and a lateral of the Chicago, the <br /> <br />Andrews Lateral. The Andrews Lateral carries water from the Chicago approxi- <br /> <br />mately straight east through the Lillpop property, across El Rancho Lane, and, <br /> <br />into the Refuge where it now delivers water to the Refuge grainfields northeast <br /> <br />of this property and wet-meadow habitat in the northwestern corner of the <br /> <br />Refuge. The Chicago Ditch carries water through this property and then into <br /> <br />the Refuge. It generally follows the eastern side of the Rio Grande and is used <br /> <br />to irrigate wet-meadow habitat and supply brood water to over two-thirds of the <br /> <br />Refuge. <br /> <br />The Lillpop lands proposed for acquisition presently use 13 percent of the <br /> <br />Chicago Ditch water right. Water is utilized for native hay production and <br /> <br />irrigation of wet meadows. The Chicago Ditch is one of the oldest irrigation <br /> <br /> <br />ditches in the valley and was first used in 1891. Because of the long history <br /> <br />of use and its established date, the ditch has senior water rights and is a <br /> <br />dependable source of water. The Chicago Ditch supplied a total of 5,988 acre- <br /> <br />feet of water during the 1983 irrigation season. The Refuge, which owns 87 per- <br /> <br />cent of the ditch, received 5,210 acre-feet; and the Lillpop Ranch received <br /> <br />778 acre-feet. Water is generally in the ditch from April 29 until November 8, <br /> <br />which is nearly the entire irrigation season. Generally, the first delivery on <br /> <br />the canal will include both priorities 174 and 196 or 26.4 cubic feet per second <br /> <br />(ft3/s). This amount is available nearly all season long. The following <br /> <br />identifies the Chicago Ditch water right: <br /> <br />{' ' :' t 3' JI " <br />,I v '\wI. "':I...... <br /> <br />III -4 <br />