WSP07855

• File Number: 8200.765
• Description: Little Snake River General
• State: CO
• Basin: Yampa/White
• Water Division: 6
• Date: 8/23/1990
• Author: Western Water Consul
• Title: Draft Appraisal of P and M Conditional Water Rights for Three Forks Reservoir Project - Little Snake River Basin
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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CONCLUSION

The appraisal of water rights is an inexact art at best, and the appraisal of

conditional water rights is even more problematical. The various procedures for appraisal

and appraised values may be summarized as follows:

Comparable Market

Prices seem to range from $18 to $2,000 per acre-foot. The most comparable sale

of a conditional water right is the Middle Fork Reservoir in the Powder River basin at

$50 per acre-foot yield,

Net Financial Return

Assuming that the Three Forks project could be developed in 40 years, a

reasonable appraisal would be $35 per acre-foot per year.

Alternative Source of Supplv
"

~ The most logical alternative source of supply is Sandstone Reservoir. The

differential cost is estimated at $45 per acre-foot per year.

Priority of Ri!!ht
The 1972 priority date for Three Forks Reservoir is not particularly early and a

1990 priority date would have the same yield. On this basis, the value of the 1972 priority

is nil.

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