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<br /> <br />-6- <br /> <br />Specifically, the lower Basin States on theColora90 River are'much <br /> <br />interested in and concerned with any interbasin diversions whi~h might <br />,. , I <br /> <br />adv~rsely affect their interests. It is logical to assume that at the <br />present level of economic conditions th~re will be few if any additional <br />costly interbasin diversions into the South .Platte Bas.in. future demands <br /> <br />and pressures may economically.justify other .transmountaJn diversipns, <br />providing, of course, that at:, that time; satisfactory agreements can be. <br /> <br />madE! with Colorado River interests. <br />Exploitation of shallOW and deep: aquifers is a s()urce of additional. <br /> <br />water even though, as previously nO"ted" it is not always "new" water. <br /> <br />Development of deep aquifers iScextremely expensive, and they should only be <br />',' .. '" . <br /> <br />utqized in cases of emergency or in th!1l production of highly valuable crops, <br /> <br />" <br />the ,market price of which justifies suc!1 expen8~ve "lifts." <br />A report prepared by the Midwest. Research Institute for the Colorado <br /> <br />Department of Natural Resources estimates that in the alluvium and terrace <br /> <br />dep()sitsof the South Platte Valley and. its tributaries there are approximately <br /> <br /> <br />25,~OO,OCiO acre feet of ground water. This is .an extremely valuable future <br /> <br />resource to supplement surface' irrigation, municipal and industrial use. <br /> <br />The' future development of this water should be regula"ted. . Furthermore, <br /> <br />additional information is needed to determine source of supply and rates <br /> <br />of recharge in order to.administer its 'use more intelligently. Investigations <br />should be made to determine the feasibility of flood control and watershed <br />improvement projects whose principal benefit will be the value of the water <br />reaching the aquifer as a recharge. Agreements should be developed' between <br />the owners of direct flow and .storage rights, whereby they consent to the <br /> <br />slo~ release rates of such projects initimes of normal 'or above normal <br />str'eam flow. <br />