Laserfiche WebLink
• DF~~o <br />RICHARD D LAMM q'~a <br />Governor `-' <br />d;` <br />*~ ~ u~~+ <br />aza <br />DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />1313 Sherman Street -Room B7 8 <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Administration (303)839-3581 <br />Ground Water (303)839-3587 <br />August 14, 1979 <br />MEMORANDUM <br />~ ~ii i i iiiii iii tiiiiii <br />W. R. SMITH <br />Acting State Engineer <br />ti,. 1.., ..a.n.. n <br />llu ~ 1 ., 1y79 <br />MINED L.A!VD RECLAMATION <br />Colo. Deot. ~! ^:atural P.eseurces <br />TO: CHIPS BARRY, DIRECTOR, MINED LAND RECLAMATION DIVISION <br />FROM: HAL D, SIMPSON, CHIEF, WATER MANAGEMENT BRANCH <br />FOR: DR, JERIS A, DANIELSON, DEPUTY STATE ENGINEER <br />SUBJECT: ROSSUM PIT, LARIMER COUNTY, APPLICATION FOR LIMTTED-IMPACT <br />MINING AND RECLAMATION PERMIT <br />As requested by your office, we have reviewed the additional information <br />provided for a sand and gravel operation near Loveland. The letter from Hogan <br />and Olhausen states that the proposed pit lake will evaporate 13.65 acre-feet <br />per year, then states "since the land will no longer be irrigated with the 318, S <br />ac-ft/year it is felt that the evaporation losses are more than offset". This <br />response indicates a basic misunderstanding by the consultant of Colorado <br />water law. A water right in Colorado is the same as a real property right--it <br />may be bought, sold, leased, deeded, etc, The fact that the proposed gravel <br />pit area is no longer irrigated with the applicant's water right does not compen- <br />sate for the evaporation loss because this right can be sold for use on another <br />parcel of real property, The only method for permanently replacing this loss <br />is for the applicant to file an augmentation plan with the Water Court. In this <br />way, the amount of water needed for augmentation (approximately 28 acre-feet <br />per year, assuming an irrigation efficiency of 50%) is permanently removed <br />from use for any purpose except replacement of evaporation losses. Because <br />this pit will affect an over-appropriated stream, we cannot recommend approval <br />of this application unless these losse's are replaced. <br />.~. ~H~-fr+~- <br />Hal D. Simpson <br />HDS/SS H: mvf <br />cc; Jim Clark, Div, Eng, <br />