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25" Ave SWSP Page 4 of 7 <br />July 8, 2014 <br />Wheeler analysis does not take into consideration the decline in irrigated acreage as a result of <br />conversion to mining operations that began in the mid- 1970's and continued until all 107.5 acres were <br />out of production by 1990. Although reliance on the Wheeler analysis will be accepted for this <br />SWSP period, any future SWSP request must include an updated historical consumptive use <br />analysis calculated on a yearly basis. The study period for the updated analysis must be <br />representative of the life of the water right, including any periods of non -use, or periods where <br />credit for an undecreed or unauthorized use cannot be given. <br />The headgate of the Boyd and Freeman Ditch is located in the SEI /4 of the SW' /4 of Section 34, <br />T6N, R66W, 6th P.M., approximately 3 miles upstream from the 25th Ave Pit. The water attributable <br />to the 138 shares of the Boyd and Freeman Ditch must continue to be diverted in- priority at the river <br />headgate and the historic consumptive use credits must be released back to the Cache la Poudre, <br />River through the Boyd and Freeman Ditch Return (WDID 0302914), located near the river headgate. <br />A transit loss as determined by the Water Commissioner will be assessed. There are no intervening <br />water rights between the headgate of the Boyd and Freeman Ditch and the point of depletions. <br />The Boyd and Freeman Ditch water is only available for diversion during the irrigation season <br />of April through October; therefore Greeley will utilize other water sources such as reusable effluent <br />discharged from the Greeley Water Pollution Control Facility (aka Greeley Sewer, WDID 0302312) to <br />replace non - irrigation season mining depletions and return flow obligations resulting from the use of <br />the subject shares. The Greeley Sewer is located downstream of the 25th Ave Pit but above the Ogilvy <br />Ditch. Greeley may also release legally stored water from Flatiron Pits 1 and 2 (aka Poudre Ponds, <br />WDID 0303791) pursuant to its storage rights decreed in water court case no. 1999CW234, which are <br />decreed for augmentation purposes. The attached Table 4 presents a list of Greeley's water rights, <br />and includes other fully consumable sources which may be used for augmentation in this plan. <br />A monthly breakdown of depletions and replacements for Flatiron Pits 3 and 4 is shown in the <br />attached Table 1A, while the monthly breakdown of depletions and replacements for Flatiron Pit 5 is <br />shown in the attached Table 1 B. <br />Long -Term Augmentation <br />In accordance with the letter dated April 30, 2010 (copy attached) from the Colorado Division of <br />Reclamation, Mining, and Safety ( "DRMS "), all sand and gravel mining operators must comply with the <br />requirements of the Colorado Reclamation Act and the Mineral Rules and Regulations for the protection of <br />water resources. The April 30, 2010 letter from DRMS requires that information be provided to DRMS to <br />demonstrate you can replace long term injurious stream depletions that result from mining related <br />exposure of ground water. <br />According to the submitted information, Pits 3 and 4 will be consolidated into a single pit <br />during the mining process, resulting in one remaining pit after Pits 5 and C are backfilled. The <br />combined pit will be lined via slurry walls and used as a reservoir for water storage by the City of <br />Greeley. Completion of mining and lining of the pits is anticipated to occur in 2027 (15 years from <br />commencement of mining). Long -term augmentation will not be required as the final reclamation <br />plan for the site includes lining or backfilling at[ ground water exposures. As the operator of the site <br />is the City of Greeley, a bond with DRMS has not been executed as bonds are not required for <br />municipal entities. <br />