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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />1134 <br /> <br />AMITY WATER RIGHTS <br /> <br />GENERAL DESCRIPTION: <br /> <br />The Amity water rights and storage rights are owned by approximately <br />200 farmers who use the water on 36,000 acres of farm land. The <br />Amity canal, located near Lamar, Colorado, diverts water out of the <br />Arkansas River just below John Martin Reservoir, and delivers water <br />to farmers all the way into Kansas. The storage rights consist of <br />265,552 acre feet of storage in the Great Plains Reservoir and <br />103,950 acre feet of conservation reserve storage in John Martin <br />Reservoir, totalling 369,502 acre feet of storage. An acre foot of <br />water equals 325,851 gallons. The average annual diversion from <br />1950 to 1979 was 95,434 acre feet. Of this amount, 59,574 acre feet <br />is consumed by the plants by irrigation, or by evaporation from the <br />Great Plains storage. Therefore, this amount of water, <br />19,412,247,000 GALLONS, can be marketed ANNUALLY to the cities for <br />municipal or industrial use. <br /> <br />MARKET POTENTIAL: <br /> <br />The market potential for Amity's water rights is dependent upon two <br />basic requirements: demand and transferabiltiy. For the most part, <br />transerability is limited by either exchange potential, physical <br />delivery, or a combination of the two. In general, demand is <br />brought about by a shortage of water created by growth. <br /> <br />1. DEMAND <br /> <br />In reviewing the demand for water within areas to which the <br />water rights would be transferable, the following general geographic <br />areas are briefly discussed. <br /> <br />A) State of Kansas <br /> <br />1) This a natural market area which could utilize Amity's <br />water efficiently with few engineering difficulties. <br /> <br />2) The State itself could help insure a minimum stream <br />flow for wildlife, as well as help to recharge to the <br />underground aquifer in western Kansas. <br /> <br />3) Cheyenne Bottoms, a wildlife area of international <br />importance near Great Bend, Kansas, is the most <br />important migration point for shorebirds in North <br />America. The federal government is expected to spend <br />$1.5 Billion over the next twelve years to help <br />maintain this flyway. Cheyenne Bottoms should be in <br />line for a good part of that $1.5 Billion. <br /> <br />4) Other wildlife areas as designated by the Kansas <br />Department of Wildlife and Parks. <br /> <br />-1- <br />