WSP07488

• File Number: 8111.805
• Description: Arkansas River Compact Administration - Keesee Ditch
• Basin: Arkansas
• Date: 1/1/1986
• Author: HRS Engineering
• Title: Keesee Ditch Change of Water Rights Technical Information Request Responses
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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Mr. Pop~ and Mr_ Genova
September 21, 1988
Page four

later months was not counted again as consumptive use, but was
used in determining soil moisture availability.

Fall crop acreages were adjusted to reflect following year
reported winter grains acreage (assumed September planting).
Prdgram prevents double counting of acreage.

Winter irrigation water applied first to late fall
spring crops (i.e. winter grains & alfalfa), with excess
to other acreages based on a (-inch application.
evaporation was assumed to occur during remaining winter
for any acreage receiving winter water. Program prevents
counting of acreages.

or early
applied
Winter
months
double

- Soil moisture storage was assumed to occur up to a maximum soil
moi~ture availability of 0.62 af/acre or the available moisture
capacity of the top ( feet of soil.

Total available water in excess of monthly irrigation water
requirements was applied to soil moisture storage up to the
m~~imum, and then any remaining excess irrigation water was
applied to return flows.

Total return flows were the sum of delivery losses and excess
irrigation water.

Outputs of the program include monthly consumptive use and
return flows. Return flow amounts were used as inputs to a
separate SDF program for determining timing effects at the
Arkansas River.

~ Request for information ~ whether subirri~ation of alfalfa ~ ~
possibility.

In the December, 1987 Engineering Committee meeting notes, Hal Simpson
indicates ,that the average depth to water tor the Keesee wells at the time of
drilling was 12 feet based on SEO records. He also indicated that this period
(late 1950's and early 1960's) was particularly dry.

As a supplement to this data, HRS used water level data available from
USGS publications for the period of 1968 through 1973 to evaluate depth to
water table underlying the Keesee Ditch irrigated lands. Copies of the USGS
water level data are attached. Multiple water level data were available for a
total of nine wells located within or adjacent to the subject area. These
wells are 'indicated in the attached data and their locations are described by
the USGS identification system.

Using. an arithmetic mean of the data for all nine wells, the average
depth to water table was 8.8 feet over the six-year period. Using an area-
weighted m~thod, the average depth was 9.8 feet. In either case, the average
depth to w~ter underlying the Keesee lands would be greater than the six-foot
moisture extraction depth given for alfalfa in the Colorado Irrigation Guide
(SCS. 1979).