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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />r\a.#"~J <br />'J _ -" .J \.t 't <br /> <br />While it is true that the greatest percentage of water diverted trom the South Platte River is <br />used for irrigation, it is not possible to simply increase the efficiency of agricultural uses and <br />transfer the "saved" water to municipal uses without a significant reduction in irrigated <br />agriculture. It is not the amount of water diverled which can be transferred to municipal uses. <br />Rather it is only the amount of water consumed by the irrigated crops which can be converted <br />to municipal uses, without injury to other appropriators. This limitation is based on the fact <br />that the water which seeps away trom one user's facilities or which returns to the stream as <br />run-off or ground water percolation trom inefficient irrigation, becomes the next user's source. <br />This water has long been appropriated and thus is not available for transfer to and <br />consumption by a new user. Transfer of agricultural water to municipal uses thus requires <br />that the agricultural consumption be reduced by the amount transferred to the new municipal <br /> <br />uses. <br /> <br />Since the return flows from the first use of the Companies' water are to be returned to the <br />Burlington-O'Brian Canal (90% of domestic use, and about 50% overall ), municipalities can <br />use not only the consumptive use portion of the water but also the greater volumes historically <br />diverled into the system. The consumption occurring from municipal uses are to be made up <br />trom re-useable effluent. As the amount of water returned to the Burlington system is not <br />reduced, the historic return flow pattern will not be affected 10 the detriment of other <br />appropriators, and the legal and social consequences of a "dry-up" transfer will be avoided. <br />Barr Lake is not immune to the pressures on agricultural water users. Transfer of the 2,800 <br />shares in Barr Lake to municipal ownership could result in its gradual dry-up. Equally, the <br />urbanization which is expected to follow the construction of the new Denver Airport may <br />result in wholesale conversion from agricultural to urban uses. <br /> <br />The Barr Lake Plan directly addresses these environmental and social issues in a manner quite <br />different from traditional water transfers. Barr Lake will be preserved and the agricultural <br /> <br />22 <br />