2016-04-26_HYDROLOGY - M2000041 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Mark McLean, P.E. April 20, 2016 Page 2 of 5 PLAN OPERATION The Applicant has been dewatering the Pueblo East Pit at Evans #2 pit during mining operations. As a result, a neighbor has claimed injury due to perceived lowering of the ground water levels in the area. The neighbor, Mr. John Sliman, formerly used four irrigation wells in his business, known as Southwest Sod Farms, which has recently become EWSD I, LLC under separate ownership. These wells are identified as permit nos. 10555-R (WDID 1405131), 10554-F (WDID 1405132), 11369-R (WDID 1405134) and 53051-F (WDID 1405208). The irrigation wells were formerly included in the Arkansas Groundwater Users' ("AGUA") Rule 14 replacement plan and/or in the Booth Well Association's SWSP. The Booth Well Association SWSP has been superseded by the Booth Well Association plan for augmentation decreed by the Division 2 Water Court in case no. 08CW12. These wells remain in the Booth Well Association plan for augmentation decreed by the Division 2 Water Court in case no. 08CW12 to the extent previously included, but are now part of a separate SWSP application for EWSD I, LLC due to the fact the wells re-irrigated Excelsior Ditch Dry-up and/or are used for non- irrigation uses. The Applicant has agreed to supply Mr. Sliman with water from the dewatering system to increase his supply of irrigation water without admission of injury. EWSD I, LLC irrigates 243 acres with two center pivot sprinklers and one flood-irrigated field in a portion of the NW1/4 and the N1/2 of the SW1/4 of Section 35 and the NE1/4 of Section 34, Township 20 South, Range 63 West. Additionally, water will be used for irrigation and commercial uses (including indoor greenhouse irrigation and commercial drinking and sanitary facilities) on the same property. During the AGUA and Booth 2015 plan year (April 2015 through March 2016) Southwest Sod Farms/EWSD I, LLC was allotted 570.7 acre-feet of pumping (503.2 acre-feet in the AGUA Rule 14 Plan and 67.5 acre-feet in the Booth Well Association SWSP) and 477.3 acre-feet of wellhead depletions (419.9 acre-feet in the AGUA Rule 14 Plan and 57.4 acre-feet in the Booth Well Association SWSP). AGUA supplies the augmentation water used for both plans. For the purposes of this SWSP, and to assure there is adequate replacement water available to support the use to be supplied from the dewatering system, the total wellhead depletions will not exceed the total depletions allocated in the EWSD I, LLC SWSP and Booth Well Association plan for augmentation decreed by the Division 2 Water Court in case no. 08CW12. Currently, it is anticipated that EWSD I, LLC's total allocated pumping will be similar to the 2015 allocation of 570.7 acre-feet of pumping with wellhead depletions limited to 477.3 acre-feet. In order to provide irrigation water to EWSD I, LLC, the Applicant has constructed a pipeline from the existing Pueblo East Pit at Evans #2 dewatering system pumps to the Excelsior Ditch in the vicinity of EWSD I, LLC's existing Excelsior Ditch pump. If needed, check dams may be constructed in the Excelsior Ditch in order to create a small forebay pond for the existing EWDS I, LLC Excelsior Ditch pump (see attached aerial photo which depicts a conceptual design for the pipeline). A totalizing flow meter will be installed on the irrigation delivery pipeline. Any dewatering water that is not used for irrigation will continue to be discharged directly to the Arkansas River using the existing dewatering discharge system. of �Olo 1313 Sherman Street, Room 821, Denver,CO 80203 P 303.866.3581 F 303.866.3589 www.water.state.co.us John W. Hickenlooper,Governor I Robert Randall, Interim Executive Director 01 �18'76*