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March 5, 2004 Page 4. the ditch - uncovered - would have efficiently delivered water to and from the current and desired point-of-diversion and effectively eliminated the saturated gravels on the Gumaer. Indeed, even today, smooth plastic piping could effeciently deliver water to current operations using the already-mentioned (and map-described 'Columbia Ditch water takeoff channel`). The Gumaer owners would not be averse to allow pipe-traverse over and across whatever portion of the Gumaer from this latter point-of-diversion to current operations on the Alma for the only consideration that this configuration of water flow would most effectively 'dry-out' the saturated gravels on the Gumaer in short order. Any of the two water delivery configurations described above would be of an added cost which would, today and retrospectively, approach absurd negligible proportions as compared to the huge investments already made in both current mining operations - not to mention the saved water gallonage which would be returned to the nearby S. Platte River - gallonage saved from wasted seepage water held in ponds (wherein water evaporates - and is lost forever to the immediate River system - at the evapo- transpiration rate approaching 208 at that extreme elevation during the Summer season). In addition, the water flowing in the 'open' ditch has its own evapo-transpiration rate of some 10 - 12~. The headwaters of the So. Platte River which is the subject location of this matter is, at this writing and for the past 5 years or so, the only river system watershed in all of Colorado that has been consistently below its historic water averages. It behooves all of us to have return flow waters - to the River - in the shortest time possible especially where relatively large volumes of 'non-consumptive' water is used as is the two operations here. Colorado remains in a 300-year drought. 3. SPRING WATER DRAINAGE. (aka: 'Gumaer Spring'). Approximately one year after this writer's 1985 letter to Panhandle Drilling Co. the Gumaer owners filed for water rights to a natural spring issuing on the Gumaer Placer property and which spring issues forth - unabated - at a flowrate of 15-20 GPM ('24/7'; 365). The water right ('Absolute') was issued to Gumaer owners in 1988. This water, also 'non-consumptive' must be returned to the S. Platte River. It does so in classic 'desert' manner (often appearing and disappearing in its natural and very old 'channel') and which water 'stream-let' was first recorded on Oct. 13, 1868 by the U.S. Surveyor surveying the immediate area. While the volume of water (15-20GPM) is of negligible importance vis-a-vis the S. Platte River system