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. 600 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO LAW REVIEW [V 01. 59 Brighton to Fort Morgan and includes about 460,000 acres (720 square miles) in parts of Weld, Morgan, and Adams counties. In 1973 the Groundwater Management Subdistrict (Subdistrict) was estab, lished to help integrate existing groundwater pumping of the wells within its area into the water rights system. About 196,000 acres, a little over 42 percent of the CCWCD area, is included within the Subdistrict. Initiated in the same year as GASP, the Subdistrict took a differ- ent approach to integrating groundwater development. Rather than operate on a year,to-year basis under the supervision of the state engi. neer, the Subdistrict decided to seek water court approval of a plan for augmentation. Under a statutory provision then in effect, the state engineer gave the Subdistrict "temporary" approval pending the de- velopment of a permanent plan that could pass water court muster. As discussed in connection with the Fort Morgan plan for augmenta- tion, this requires proof of ability to replace all depletions caused by the pumping from wells involved in the plan.79 The Subdistrict has been operating under its temporary plan for augmentation on the basis of replacing five percent of the water pumped each year by member wells, This approach was authorized by the 1974 Rules and Regulations,80 The number of wells involved in the Subdistrict plan has varied from year to year, but the average has been about 870 between 1983 and 1987, irrigating an average of about 62,000 acres,81 The anticipated annual pumping from these wells avo eraged about 106,000 acre,feet. Replacement of five percent of this pumping meant providing about 5,280 acre-feet of water per year. Table I shows the distribution of well pumping and depletions within the Subdistrict in 1986. About 60 percent occurs in the area along the South Platte River and Box Elder Creek from Platteville north to Kersey. Finding replacement water in this heavily used area of the South Platte has been difficult and expensive. Table 2 shows the availability and use of replacement water between 1981 and 1986. In contrast to GASP, which relies heavily on augmentation wells, the Subdistrict relies largely on surface water, Table 3 gives a detailed breakdown of the replacement water identified in the Subdistrict's 1987 plan, As shown, the Subdistrict itself owns about 864 acre-feet of water rights. It leased another 672 acre-feet from CCWCD, its parent organization, and it leased an additional 3,636 acre-feet from a variety 79. See supra notes 75.18 and accompanying text. 80. South Platte Rules and Regulations. supra note: 45, Rule 3(1). 81. Groundwater Management Subdistrict. Plan or Operation (1983-1987) (on file, Division One Engineer's Office. Greeley, Colorado). I ! . 1988] COLORADO LAW OF "UNDERGROUND WATER" 601 TABLE I CCWCD - Groundwater Management Subdistrict 1986 Distribution of Depletions River Well Depletions % of Total Reach Pumping S%of Depletions in (S. Platte) Location (acft) Pumping each reach 84,88 Littleton to Brighton (approx. 30 miles) 11,260 563 10.4% 85,82,77 Brighton to Platteville (approx. 20 miles) 8,150 408 7.5% 75,70 Platteville to LaSalle includes confluence with St. Vrain Creek (approx. 13 miles) 9,240 462 8.5% 62,57 LaSalle to Kuner includes confluence with Cache la Poudre (approx. 15 miles) 31,600 1,580 29.1% 54 Kuner to Bijou Headgate includes Box Elder Drainage (approx. 8 miles) 34,790 1,739 32% 51,48 Bijou to Weldon Valley Headgate (approx. 5 miles) 0 0 0 46,42 Weldon Valley to Narrows includes Kiowa Creek Drainage (appro". 15 miles) 13,620 681 12.5% TOTAL 108,660 5,433 100% Sourcc; CCWCD Mastcr Plan 1987.1992 of other sources. Municipal effluent represented most of this leased supply. Since "1979 the Subdistrict has been actively pursuing the use of recharge projects to provide replacement credits, Over 9,500 acre-feet of water have been recharged to the aquifer in five separate locations between 1979 and 1986.82 This recharged water provided an esti- mated 2,503 acre-feet of possible replacement credits in 1987. The Subdistrict owns sixteen wells between Fort Lupton and Brighton, capable of pumping 20 cubic feet per second to the river via a short ditch, Apparently, depletion to the river caused by pumping l I I i , i i t- I 82. CENTRAL COLORADO WATER CONSERVANCY OISTll.lCT AND GROUNDWATER MANAGE. MENT SUBDISTRICT, MASTER PLAN, 1981-1992, 9-11 (Jan. 20, 1981) (hcreinaftcr Mastcr Plan].