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1831 .. As an example of quantification, a participating shareholder might be located in To~nship 22S, Range 51 W in the Las Animas Division of the FLCC, approximately 1.52 miles north of the Arkansas River centerline. Return flows from this loca:tion would accrue to John Martin Reservoir. , Initial distribution, i.e., timing of irrigation and seeP4ge waters at the source, would be similar to irrigation delivery intervals, apportioned on a monthly' basis and is presented in Table 7.5 for 5,814 participating shares. Table 7.5 illustrates that 3,718 af 9f return flow obligation, 26.96 percent of the average annual diversions, is the quantity which must be returned to the river to avoid injury to other water rights. Timing and Delivery of Return Ftows to the River Due to the slow rate at which water moves through these aquifers and the distance of the participating acreage from the river, actual flows are e~visioned as being delayed and extended over a considerable period of time. To estimate the distribution of the return flow pattern over time, a standard Glover analysis was used to estimate flow rates in the aquifers. The obligation in the example was returned to the river, over a three year Nriod as follows: 51.8 percent in the first year, 88.2 percent by the second year, and 97.9 by the third year. Minute quantities return for many years into the future. For the purposes of simplifying admi~stration of the return flow, the remaining 2.1 percent is prorated over the first three years. Refer to Table 7.5 to find the distribution of the return flow obligation over three years. The return flow distribution is plotted in Figure 7.7. As an additional consideration, transit losses in the river mdst be allowed. The example includes a transit loss over ten miles of the river from the FLC headgate where the releases occur to the point where the return flow accretions to the river would normally occur. These return flow obligations would be delivered to the river by the same process as the rented water would be to new users, on a continuous flow basis. The flow rate would need to W adjusted frequently, perhaps weekly or daily, to assure that the obligation was not overpaid or un~erpaid. , , In the case of the Limestone and Lamar Divisians of the FLCC, return flows from these shareholders would accrue to the river below the John Martin Dam. As described in Section 7.5, return flow obligations would be released to the rivet on the predetermined schedule. These would flow through the FLCC account in John Martin Re~ervoir, under agreement with the FLCC and under the accounting plan formalized in the water bal1k substitute supply plan approved by the State E . I ngmeer. ! i Return Ftow Storage and Contingency To meet return flow obligations in subsequent years, water attributed to current year participating shares would be stored to meet those obligations. 0?nsequently, reservoir space would be allocated and accounting maintained. As an additional protec(ion for water rights holders, a contingency fund of sufficient size to lease water from temporary sourfes should be considered to meet the possibility that the water bank storage account may be depletlld or spilled. As an example of such an event, / 7-26 I !