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1. Introduction and Project Description In 1989, the Colorado Legislature passed Senate Bill 120 that affects gravel pits in operation after September 31, 1980. §37-90-137(11)(a)(ll), C.R.S., requires any gravel pit that exposed ground water to the atmosphere after December 31, 1980 to replace all out-of-priority depletions of ground water. In 1993, the Colorado Legislature passed Senate Bill 260 that basically changed the fees associated for review of the substitute water supply plans. The statutory fee for a new substitute water supply plan request is 31,343 regardless of the number of acres exposed and is applicable for the first two years. Fees are not required for proposed augmentation plans submitted to the water court that do not propose to expose groundwater until after a decree is entered by the water court. A substitute supply plan Wray still be required if ground water is removed in the product or groundwater is used for dust control or gravel - washing. This substitute supply plan is being prepared and submitted pursuant to Senate Bill 89- ] 20 and Senate Bill 93-260 to provide the engineering analysis needed to support thenew -- - - - -- construction of a gravel pit consistent with statutory requirements. ---- - -- - Mario Bassi is proposing to develop a new gravel pit in the parcel of land located in the SE'/< S20 T39N R8E NMP~~4 in Rio Grande County, Water District 20, Water Division 3 of Colorado. A total of four gravel pit cells are proposed ranging in size from 15 to 35 acres in the SE'/< of Section 20. The maximum area of exposed ground water will not exceed 100 acres. The gravel mining operation is expected to intercept groundwater. Mining metftods are expected to remain constant throughout the life of this mining operation. A total of four cells are proposed ranging in size from 15 to 35 acres. Mining will start in Cell I in the northeast corner ofthe affected quarter section and will proceed to the west. 1v1ining will be done with drag-line and hydraulic excavator with a maximum of 100 feet wide cuts. When the first cut is completed on the north, a new pass will start immediately to the south, again moving east to the west. This procedure will be continued until the cell is complete. lvtinin~; will then move to the next proposed cell. The pits shall not be dewatered. The mining operation shall not introduce pollution to either surface or groundwater. The open gravel pits shall intercept ground water. No dewatering operations shall be utilized. During operation, water from the gravel pit shall be used to wash the gravel. Once used, this wash water shall be returned to the gravel pit. Since the gravel material being; washed is consistent with ground material, the washing process shall not introduce any contaminants that the ground water is not already in contact with After the mining operation is complete, the gravel pits shall be left open creatin, recreational lakes The main out-of-priority depletion associated with the mining operation shall be the exposed ground water evaporation from the gravel pit surface. Consequently, the main project water requirement shall be the amount of augmentation water required to oft~set ground water evaporation from the exposed surface area Historically the proposed site in the SE'/a of Section 20 and the adjacent land to the south and east has been irrigated ranch land. Crops grown have included irrigated pasture and alfalfa. This land has been irrigated with surface water rights from the Fish Ditch and a share in the Rio Grande Canal. The proposed plan for replacing out-of-priority depletions shall be to augment the gravel pits with surface water and dry up land historically irrigated by these surface water rights. Figure I shows Mario Bassi's ranch including all water courses, ditches, and wells on the