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2.0 Introduction <br />The estimation of historic consumptive uses and losses in the Rio Grande Basin and the <br />tool used to perform the analysis are documented in four major reports as follows: <br />1. The Irrigated Lands Assessment Report describes the development of the 1998 <br />irrigated lands coverage, including the process used to determine irrigated acreage, <br />associated crop type, irrigation method (sprinkler or flood), and surface water source. <br />2. The Historic Crop Consumptive Use Analysis Report is the main document <br />associated with estimating agricultural consumptive uses in the Rio Grande Basin. It <br />describes the approach and results of the crop consumptive use analysis. <br />3. The Consumptive Uses and Losses Summary Report describes the approach and <br />results used to develop the estimate of total basin water use (agricultural and non- <br />agricultural) for 1991 through 1995. <br />4. The StateCU Documentation describes the consumptive use model and graphical user <br />interface used to perform all consumptive use analyses conducted as part of the Rio <br />Grande Decision Support System. <br />This Historic Crop Consumptive Use Analysis Report has not attempted to reiterate the <br />detailed analyses and results of each subtask performed in support of the final historic <br />crop consumptive use analysis. Instead, it summarizes the major results of each technical <br />memorandum, which are then referenced and attached as appendices. The technical <br />memoranda developed by other RGDSS Contractors that were used to support the <br />consumptive use analysis are also referenced as appropriate. <br />2.1 Basin Description <br />The Rio Grande Basin (Figure 6) is located in south central Colorado and encompasses <br />approximately 7,500 square miles. The valley floor (San Luis Valley) elevation ranges <br />from 7,440 feet in the south to 8,000 feet in the north and is bounded on the west by the <br />San Juan Mountains and on the east by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. There is an <br />approximate 3,000 square mile area in the northern part of the valley that does not drain <br />to the Rio Grande known as the Closed Basin. <br />cureport_6-2004.doc 8 of 48 June, 2004 <br />