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Peter Wayland <br />July 23, 2012 <br />Page 3 <br />Replacements <br />The proposed source of replacement for this pit is the historical consumptive use from <br />46.75 acres historically irrigated with 0.5 shares of Hillsborough Ditch diverted from the Big <br />Thompson River and previously used for irrigation on a portion of the mined property. Irrigation <br />has ceased on the Kirtright Pit site due to the mining operation and groundwater lakes. The <br />Applicant owns one share of the outstanding 118 shares of the Hillsborough Ditch. The one share <br />of the Hillsborough Ditch was historically used for irrigation on the Kirtright Pit mining site (93.5 <br />acres). The historical use of the irrigation supply was quantified using the average monthly <br />diversion from 1950 through 1986. The reach of the Hillsborough Ditch is typically gaining <br />between the river headgate and the Kirtright farm headgate. Ditch loss is therefore not considered <br />for the main ditch however 2 percent loss has been assigned to the Kirtright lateral. Water in <br />excess of the irrigation requirement was added to the soil moisture bank, which was assumed to <br />be three feet deep with a water holding capacity of 1.92 inches /feet. The consumptive use <br />analysis for the one share averaged 83.10 acre -feet per year. The historical accretions /depletions <br />for the 0.5 shares were prorated from the one share of the Hillsborough Ditch that originally <br />irrigated the property. The dry-year historical consumptive use credit from the 0.5 share of the <br />Hillsborough Ditch is 44.22 acre -feet with a non - irrigation season return flow obligation of 2.68 <br />acre -feet (Table AI.3). After applying the 0.5 shares of Hillsborough Ditch water, there will be <br />17.25 acre -feet of uncompensated depletions. <br />Additional replacements for depletions during the non - irrigation season and during <br />months with insufficient credits will be made by releases will be made available throughout the <br />year from a lease of fully consumable water from the City of Loveland's Water and Power <br />Department ( "Loveland "). A copy of the lease associated with the mining operation was provided <br />to the State Engineer's Office with the SWSP request and is attached to this letter. The duration <br />of the lease is for a term of twenty -five years ending on December 31, 2022. The replacement <br />water will be delivered to the stream at the Loveland's wastewater treatment plant. The point of <br />delivery is approximately 7 miles upstream of the Kirtright Pit therefore a total transit loss of <br />14% (2% per mile) has been added to the replacement water provided by Loveland. <br />Under the terms of the lease, replacements can be made using a variety of water owned <br />by Loveland including, but not limited to, Windy Gap reusable effluent, Loveland Storage <br />Reservoir water as decreed in case no. 82CW202A, and Colorado Big Thompson ( "C -BT ") <br />Project water. In the event that Loveland plans to use C -BT water as a replacement <br />source, Loveland shall comply with the Interim Rule issued by the Northern Colorado <br />Water Conservancy District ( "Northern District ") in May 2005, regarding the use of C -BT <br />Project water in substitute water supply plans. Prior to the use of C -BT Project water, <br />Loveland is required to notify this office, the division engineer and the water commissioner of <br />the amount of C -BT Project water dedicated to this plan and provide a copy of the Northern <br />District's approval letter as required by paragraph I(g) of the Northern District's May, 2005 <br />Interim Rule. <br />AI.4 <br />The monthly depletions and replacement requirements are found on the attached Table <br />