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<br />HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE <br /> <br />A Look Back <br />The C-BT Quota: Why and How <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Have you ever wondered what the Upper Colorado River Basin to water to NCWCD water users 10 meet <br />Colorado-B:g Thompson quota stabilize the greatly fluctuating runoff supplemental needs; and how to <br />is, how it is determined. or how it in the South Plane River and its lour capture and collect as much waler as <br />functions? If you have. you are not principallribulanes in northeastern possible in CoST storage reservoirs <br />alone. Colorado. Beanng in mind that the for future dry years. By following <br /> C.BT was built to proVide these gUidelines, water users in <br />Since 1957, the NCWCD Board of supplemental water to agricultural. northeastern Colorado are assured of <br />Directors has set a percentage municipal. and tndustnal users within an adequate water supply while the <br />delivery quota each April, except the District boundaries, the Board Project stores as much water as <br />1958 when the quota was set tn addresses numerous factors which pOSSible tor future drought years. <br />March. How the quota is determined collectively determine the size of the <br />and what factors tnfluence this annual quota. In essence the C-BT serves as a <br />decision are the subject of this article_ water ~savings account"' for <br /> The policy of the Board in relation 10 northeastern Colorado. Its function is <br />The quota set each April is a the quota is addressed in the 1937 to provide more water in dry years <br />percentage of the 310.000 acre-foot Conservancy District Act. Section 37. when river !tows and local reservoir <br />(al) units of C-BT water. The 310,000 45-125. as follows: levels are down and less water in wet <br />figure was arnyed at as the maximum The Board shall make an years wtlen sprtng runoff swells rivers <br />Project diverSions In one year. C-BT allotment of warer to perltloning and streams and local reservoir <br />units are defined in allotment owners of lands in the district. storage is high. The quota system <br />contracts as being 1/310,000 of the upon which warer may be allows the District to manage C.BT . <br />quantity of water annually declared beneficially used ... in such like a saYings account enabling <br />by the Board to be available for amount as will in the judgment farmers. cities, and industries to draw <br />deliyery. of the board, together with the on reserves if and whe!1 local surface <br /> present supply of water for supplies fall below normal. <br />Given a 100% quota. each C-BT irrigation purposes on such <br />allotment contract holder (allottee) lands. make an adequate water Under proYisions of the Repayment <br />receiyes 1 af of water for each unit supply for irrigation of such Contract and Its supplements. once <br />owned. At 70% quota. 217,000 af are lands... the Board determined the Project to <br />made ayailable for delivery. and each be substantially complete they were <br />allottee receiyes 7110 of an at per ThiS statement illustrates the obligated to set a quota for C-BT <br />unit. For example. an allottee who preyalling philosophy behind the water users. The first quota <br />owns 100 CoST units will haye Conservancy District Act: that declaration occurred in 1957, the <br />ayailabJe 70 af of water for use with a Irrigation was to be the primary begtnning of the operations period <br />declal ed quota of 70 percent. beneficiary of C-BT water. While the under which the District began to <br />likeWise. the same allottee will maJonty of this water IS still used by manage its own affairs for the next 45 <br />receiye 50 af of water under 1990's the agricultural sector, there has been years. (See chart for yearly quota <br />50 percent quota a contlnumg transfer of water to Cities declaralions) <br /> and towns In the pas! two decades. In <br />The Board reserves the ngh! to 1989. 73 percent of the C-BT water FACTORS INFLUENCING THE <br />increase the quota at any time supply was deliyered 10 agriculture 30 DECISION <br />throughout the year should conditIons years earlier. 98 percent of C.BT Beginning in January each year, the <br />warrant such an action. dellyenes went to agnculture. Board examines snowpack data. <br /> water runoff forecasts. soil moisture. <br />Understanding the quota system also MAJOR CONCERNS and local reservoir and C-BT storage <br />requires an awareness of the primary Prior to formal declaration of a quota. ligures In an effort to haye as much <br />purpose of the C.BT Project - to the Board focuses on two major information as poSSible before . <br />furnish suoolemental water from the concerns' how to proYlde enough making the quota declaration. This <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />WATERNEWSSUMMEA 1990 <br />