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August 7, 2001
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<br />MEMORANDUM
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<br />TO: Ground Water Commission Members
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<br />FROM: Hal Simpson, Executive Director of the Ground Water Commission
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<br />SUBJECT: Upcoming Ground Water Commission Meeting
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<br />The upcoming Ground Water Commission meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Friday, August 17, 2001, in the Multi Media Room at the Far View Lodge, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado.
<br /> An agenda for the meeting was mailed to you about three weeks back. Please find enclosed herein the following:
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<br />Minutes of the last Commission meeting, Agenda Item No. 3.
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<br />Staff Activity Report, Agenda Item No. 7.
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<br />Hearing Officer's Report.
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<br />Attorney General’s Report, Agenda Item No. 8.
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<br />Colorado Ground Water Commission and Designated Ground Water Management District Directory of Officials, 2001.
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<br />Memo from the Attorney Generals Office Regarding Executive Sessions Under the Revised Open Meetings Law.
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<br />Copy a Procedural Memorandum for Inclusion of Domestic Animal Watering on Small Capacity Permits.
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<br />Copy of a Procedural Memorandum for the Inclusion of a Note on All Large Capacity Permits Issued Within a Ground Water Management District.
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<br />The Legislative and Regulatory History of the Designated Basins in Colorado.
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<br />Please call if there are any questions about the Commission meeting.
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<br />PacketGWCMay2001.doc
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<br />cc: Commission Staff (w/ enclosures)
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<br />Memorandum
<br />Upcoming Commission Meeting
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<br />FRED A. HEFLEY, CHAIRMAN, Walsh; JON B. BROWNELL, VICE-CHAIRMAN, Hooper; EUGENE A. BAUERLE, Julesburg; ANNE J. CASTLE, Denver; DENNIS W. CORYELL, Burlington;
<br />MICHAEL GROSS, Silt; RICHARD F. HUWA, Keenesburg; F. W. (BILL) KERKSIEK, Strasburg; ERNEST L. MIKITA, Calhan
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<br />ERNEST L. MIKITA, CHAIRMAN, Calhan; ANNE J. CASTLE, VICE-CHAIRMAN, Denver; JON B. BROWNELL, Hooper; EUGENE A. BAUERLE, Julesburg; DENNIS W. CORYELL, Burlington;
<br />ROBERT R. LOOSE, Wiggins; LARRY CLEAVER, Grand Junction; RICHARD F. HUWA, Keenesburg; CHARLES “MAX” SMITH, Walsh
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<br />Memorandum
<br />Upcoming Commission Meeting
<br />Page 2
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<br />StaffReportAug01.doc STATE OF COLORADO
<br />GROUND WATER COMMISSION
<br />Division of Water Resources
<br />Department of Natural Resources
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<br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 818
<br />Denver, Colorado 80203
<br />Phone (303) 866-3581
<br />FAX (303) 866-3589
<br /> Bill Owens
<br /> Governor
<br />
<br /> Greg E. Walcher
<br /> Executive Director, DNR
<br />
<br /> Hal D. Simpson, P.E.
<br /> Executive Director
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<br />August 7, 2001
<br />
<br />MEMORANDUM
<br />
<br />TO: Hal D. Simpson, Executive Director - Ground Water Commission
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<br />FROM: Suzanne M. Sellers, Designated Basins Team
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<br />SUBJECT: Staff Activity Report for May 1, 2001 through July 31, 2001
<br /> AGENDA ITEM # 7
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<br />Various activities performed during the last quarter are briefly described below.
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<br />New and Replacement Applications
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<br />Table 1 provides a breakdown, by basin, of permitting activity for the last quarter. The following permit activities were performed:
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<br />Small capacity:
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<br />327 small-capacity well applications were received
<br />304 small-capacity well permits were issued
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<br />Large Capacity:
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<br />50 large-capacity well or Determination of Water Right applications were received
<br />54 large-capacity well permits or Determination of Water Rights were issued
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<br />Table 2 shows the current status of new and replacement permit applications for the large-capacity wells.
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<br />Change Applications
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<br />Table 3 provides the current status of the change applications. During the last quarter the following
<br />change application activities occurred:
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<br />16 new applications were received;
<br />14 change applications were approved; and
<br />61 applications are currently in different stages of processing, including 19 in initial processing, 2 in publication, and 40 in hearing (including for 39 for Eagle Peak Farms) as shown
<br /> in Table 3.
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<br />Final Permit Activities
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<br />For this last quarter, final permit activity remained focused on the remaining Northern High Plains conditional permits. During that time the following activity occurred in Kiowa, Logan,
<br /> Phillips, Cheyenne, Sedgwick and Washington counties:
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<br />Twenty Seven (27) conditional permits have been clarified.
<br />Sixty (60) final permits have been published.
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<br />Logan, Cheyenne and Sedgwick counties are complete. Kiowa, Phillips and Washington counties each have one (1) permit outstanding. The permits for the Town of Genoa in Lincoln County
<br /> still need to be clarified, after which Lincoln County will be complete. Next quarter, the process of clarifying permits will be begun for Yuma county followed by Kit Carson County.
<br /> Preparatory work continues on the Southern High Plains. Additionally, Staff plans a public meeting for the end of August to begin the final permit process in the Southern High Plains.
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<br />As indicated in previous reports, staff has noticed that well owners are slow to respond to requests for additional information. In addition, in order to facilitate correspondence with
<br /> well owners, the staff asks District Managers to encourage land owners to complete and submit change of ownership/address forms to the Commission Staff, if they have acquired wells
<br /> or moved in the last 10 years.
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<br />Objections/Hearings
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<br />Pending hearing cases are listed in the Hearing Officer's report. The Staff took part in pre-hearing conferences or otherwise spent time trying to resolve or otherwise work on the
<br /> hearing cases related to following applicants: Tom Bradbury, Dennis Dunnivan, Joe Gargiulo (closed), Fred O. Gibbs/JoAnn Pearson, Terry Hisle (closed), Lost Creek Land and Cattle,
<br /> Ron McLean (closed), Outback Properties (closed), Larry Ride, and Doren Shaulis. Of all the above 10 hearings, 4 are complete, 6 are still pending with 3 being objections to Determinations
<br /> of Water Right applications, two objections to a water well application, and one has an objection to changes in water rights.
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<br />Enforcement Items and Actions
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<br />Staff was notified and is currently investigating the potential illegal use of a small capacity well in Kit Carson County within the Plains District. The well is supposedly connected
<br /> to a center pivot. Staff also spent time investigating an on going problem in Yuma County within the Frenchman District. The problem involves irrigation of expanded acres with out
<br /> authorization.
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<br />Staff also spent some time last quarter encouraging well owners to permit exempt replacement wells drilled with emergency Verbal Approvals during the early 1990s (4 wells total) and
<br /> 1998 (one well) that were inadvertently not been permitted. All of the remaining 4 exempt replacement wells from the early 1990s were permitted during the last quarter and an Order
<br /> of the State Engineer to permit the well drilled in 1998 was issued.
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<br />Miscellaneous
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<br />Staff spent time this quarter participating in other duties, of which are presented below:
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<br />Staff has attended various water quality meetings with the Water Quality Control Commission.
<br />Staff continued to gather information and attend meetings concerning the Republican Compact litigation.
<br />Staff spent time drafting language for a potential rule or statute change to assist in the issuance of final permits within the Southern High Plains.
<br />Staff also would like to recognize Rich Cooper, who through his dedication to the Basins Team, has earned a promotion from an Engineering Technician II to Physical Science Researcher
<br /> I. Congratulations Rich.
<br />Staff prepared two procedural memorandums to assist in the administration of newly issued permits. One concerned how domestic animal watering is conditioned on small capacity well permits
<br /> and one concerned a note stating the existence of local GWMD rules which will be placed on all large capacity well permits issued within a GWMD.
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<br />Memorandum to Hal Simpson Page 3
<br />Quarterly Commission Staff Activity Report
<br />August 7, 2001
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<br />WHF/StaffReportAug01.doc
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<br />ERNEST L. MIKITA, CHAIRMAN, Calhan; ANNE J. CASTLE, VICE-CHAIRMAN, Denver; JON B. BROWNELL, Hooper; EUGENE A. BAUERLE, Julesburg; DENNIS W. CORYELL, Burlington;
<br />ROBERT R. LOOSE, Wiggins; LARRY CLEAVER, Grand Junction; RICHARD F. HUWA, Keenesburg; CHARLES “MAX” SMITH, Walsh
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<br />2001.08.17 Appointment of Hearing Officer.pdf
<br />2001.08.17 Attendance Record.pdf
<br />2001.08.17 Directory of Officials.pdf
<br />2001.08.17 Executive Sessions Under the Revised Open Meeting Law.pdf
<br />2001.08.17 Hearing Officer's Report.pdf
<br />2001.08.17 Large Capacity Well Permits.pdf
<br />2001.08.17 Legislative and Regulatory History of the Designated Basins in Colorado.pdf
<br />2001.08.17 Meeting Attendance Staff.pdf
<br />2001.08.17 Meeting Logistics + Correspondence.pdf
<br />2001.08.17 Minutes Signed.pdf
<br />2001.08.17 Record of Proceedings.pdf
<br />2001.08.17 Staff Activity Report.pdf
<br />2001.08.17 Watering Domestic animals from Small Capacity Wells.pdf
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