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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />; I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />f\iJl1in <br /> <br />SECTION 1 <br />BACKGROUND <br /> <br />1.1 Study Objective <br />Western Research Corporation was retained by the Colorado Department <br />of Law in 1984 to perform economic analyses pursuant to the adjudication of <br />reserved water rights on the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute Indian <br />Reservations in southwestern Colorado. The primary objective of the <br />analyses was to quantify the amount of practicably irrigable acreage (PIA) <br />on both reservations. <br />PIA is a standard that has been used by the judicial system to <br />establish quantities of water that should be reserved for agricultural use <br />on Indian reservations. Although a definition of PIA has never been <br />precisely established by the courts, an analysis of the proceedings of <br />previous adjudications leads to the conclusion that at least the following <br />criteria must be met to classify a parcel of land as PIA: <br />. arability - If land is not arable, it is not irrigable, and thus <br />cannot be considered practicably irrigable. Arability <br />assessments are usually based upon the results of field surveys <br />by soil scientists. <br />. engineering feasibility - Before determining that a land parcel <br />is practicably irrigable, it must be shown that water delivery <br />systems can be designed to provide irrigation water to the land, <br />and that e,'gineering solutions are available for any potential <br />drainage problems that might exist. <br /> <br />- <br /> <br />~ ,: <br />