2015-03-02_HYDROLOGY - M1996060 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Poudre Pits Combined SWSP February 26, 2015 Replacements Page 5 of 9 The proposed sources of replacement water under this SWSP is historical consumptive use credits available from of 7 shares of the Whitney Ditch used at the Tigges farm, and leased water. Historically 10 Whitney Ditch shares were used to irrigate 120 acres on the Tigges farm. The Tigges farm owner (Kenny Tigges), through the mining lease, has allowed the operator to use all necessary Whitney Ditch water that was currently being used on the property. For this SWSP period the operator will be using 7 of the 10 Tigges Whitney Ditch Shares. This plan projects a farm headgate delivery of 31.176 acre -feet per share for a total of 218.23 acre -feet for the 7 subject shares. The total consumptive use available for the 7 shares of the Whitney Ditch averaged 105.73 acre -feet, with a return flow obligation of 112.50 acre -feet (see Tables 6 -10). The 7 Whitney Ditch shares will be diverted at the Tigges farm headgate, delivered to the mine site, measured, and returned directly to the Poudre River. The water will be measured through a turnout in the Whitney Ditch equipped with a Parshall flume that is located above Lake Shiloh (aka the Roberts Pit). The water delivered to the waste ditch (WDID 0302904) will flow south directly to the river without passing through any ponds. All measurements must be made and recorded to the satisfaction of the water commissioner. During months where the projected diversions will exceed the mining and operational depletions and the monthly return flow attributed to these shares, the excess water will be diverted into the unlined middle ponds on the Tigges site where it will recharge the ground water and create lagged accretions. It is projected that this will occur in July and August of this plan period with a net amount of 10.94 acre -feet being recharged. Recharge is lagged to the river using the same parameters as the Tigges depletions and will result in a lagged accretion of 16.73 acre -feet during this approval period (includes accretions from past deliveries to recharge). The 7 Whitney Ditch shares are insufficient to provide replacement during the months of January through June, and again from September through December. To cover these months the Applicant has obtained a lease with the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District, the Ground Water Management Subdistrict of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District, and the Well Augmentation Subdistrict of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District (collectively "Central ") for a total of 225.71 acre -feet of water. This water will be released from Central's La Poudre Reservoir (WDID 0303377) located within the boundaries of La Poudre Aggregate Mine M- 1983 -090, or at any other point that would satisfy the downstream call. A copy of the signed lease was provided to this office on February 18, 2015 and is attached. Please note that the lease does not include any replacement water for January 2015 due to free river conditions throughout that month, during which no replacements were required to be made. Conveyance loss for delivery of the augmentation water referenced above is subject to assessment and modification as determined by the division engineer. Long -Term Augmentation In accordance with the letter dated April 30, 2010 (copy attached) from the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety ( "DRMS "), all sand and gravel mining operators must comply with the requirements of the Colorado Reclamation Act and the Mineral Rules and Regulations for the protection of water resources. The April 30, 2010 letter from DRMS requires that you provide information to DRMS to demonstrate you can replace long term injurious stream depletions that result from mining related exposure of ground water.