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., . <br />iiICHARD D. LAMM <br />Governor <br />• <br />~ III IIIIIIIIIIIII III <br />DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />1313 Sherman Street-Room B78 <br />Denver, Colorado 00203 <br />Administration (303) 839501 <br />Ground Water (303) 839.3587 <br />September 25, 1980 <br />Mr. Chuck Cunliffe <br />Assistant Zoning Administratior. <br />Weld County Department of Planning Services <br />975 10th St. <br />Greeley, CO 80531 <br />~~~ <br />l <br />J. A. DANtELSON <br />State Engineer <br />Re: Hokestra Sand and Gravel Mining <br />Operation <br />Dear Mr. Cunliffe: <br />As requested by your office, we have reviewed the sand and gravel <br />mining application near Del Camino. The applicant states that there <br />will be no project water requirements for the operation other than occasional <br />dust control. The amount needed would not exceed 1,000 gallons per week <br />and that by spreading recently excavated sand and gravel on haul roads, <br />the need for dust control measures would be greatly reduced or even eliminated. <br />The applicant also states that the reclaimed lakes will be used as wildlife <br />habitat. The State Engineer views the development of ground water for wild- <br />life habitat as putting the ground water to a beneficial use. This use of the <br />pit makes it a "well", and in order to construct the "well", a well permit <br />must be obtained in order to not be in violation of CRS 1973, 37-90-137. <br />Since the proposed gravel pit is located in the overappropriated St. Vr~in <br />River basin, the applicant must provide an augmentation plan that replaces <br />the evaporation losses from the proposed lake surfaces and gravel piles, <br />in addition to any other uses of the ground water to prevent alteration of the <br />prevailing hydrologic balance of the basin. <br />The applicant states that water lost through evaporation from the pond <br />surfaces should not exceed the amount lost through evapotranspiration <br />from agricultural crop production. The removal of the area being mined may <br />offset the evaporation losses; however, until we receive additional information <br />concerning the historic consumptive use of irrigation water on the property, <br />and these uses are compared to lake evaporation and phreatophyte losses, <br />we cannot adequately evaluate these effects. <br />The applicant states that he has not ruled out dewatering of the gravel <br />pits. If deNratering is a possibility, the applicant must provide for mitigation <br />of any possible injury to the two ditches which are in the immediate vicinity <br />