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Rainwater Harvesting Legal Framework <br />Page 6 <br />2. Describe each diversion (for storage of rainwater) and if that results in <br />instantaneous or lagged depletion (or both). Descriptions of depletions should <br />list stream impacts in terms of location, timing and amount; <br />3. Describe if the rainwater harvesting system could potentially store an amount <br />of water in excess of the historical natural depletion, and if such excess <br />storage occurs, will the water be released or augmented, and <br />4. Describe each replacement water source by timing, location, and amount. <br />Each item in the application may be supported by several detailed calculations. Also, the <br />Application must be supported by a summary table showing monthly diversions, lagged <br />depletions, monthly replacements (including transit loss if applicable), and net impact to the <br />river. The net impact to the river must result in replacement either equal to or greater than <br />depletions. Maps of all facilities included are also required. <br />The existing SWSP guidance was written prior to rainwater harvesting legislation and does not <br />consider the unique method of causing depletions through rainwater harvesting. For pilot <br />projects that are not using Factors, for the first two years 100 percent of captured <br />precipitation is considered a depletion. After the two year data collection phase (without <br />Factors), the historic natural depletion need not be replaced. When Factors are used, the two <br />year data collection period with full replacement is not required. <br />Chart 1 is an example of how precipitation is divided into ET, soil moisture storage, surface <br />and groundwater return flows. ET Et soil moisture storage is equal to historic natural <br />depletion. The total to the stream is the sum of runoff, deep percolation, and augmentation. <br />Under a pilot project with rainwater harvesting (case B), if some of the reused precipitation is <br />in excess of that amount attributable to the historical natural depletion, the excess amount is <br />an out -of -priority depletion requiring a delivery of augmentation water to the stream. This <br />example also shows that a project operating under an SWSP for the first two years without <br />using the factors (case C), and needing to augment all of the harvested precipitation, results <br />in more water accruing to the stream than historical conditions. <br />