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May 6, 2008 <br />To: Colorado Ground Water Commission <br />From: Commission Staff <br />RE: May 16, 2008 GWC meeting, Agenda Item 5 <br />Hearing on request of the Republican River Water Conservation District for a variance to Rule 7.3, involving applications for Republican River Compact Compliance Wells, to allow the <br /> relocation of 44 permits over 300 feet to 8 existing well locations. <br /> <br />The following are Staff’s comments and opinions on the requested variance. <br /> <br />The RRWCD has submitted applications to convert 55 existing irrigation rights into Republican River Compact Compliance Wells in accordance with the new Rules recently approved by the <br /> Commission. The subject rights will supply the compact compliance pipeline that will assist Colorado in meeting its Republican River Compact obligations. <br /> <br />Along with the change in use, the RRWCD is requesting to change the permitted location of 44 of the rights to 8 existing wells, and make all resulting wells alternate points of diversion <br /> to each other and to 7 other wells. The variance is needed because the changed locations are in excess of the 300 feet from the current permitted locations, which violates the allowed <br /> distance for changes of well location in the Northern High Plains under Rule 7.3.4. While the applicant’s variance request includes a request to allow the wells to operate as alternate <br /> points of diversion, there are no Commission rules addressing alternate points of diversion and so no variance is needed from the Commission for that aspect of the applicant’s applications <br /> (although a variance will need to be obtained from the Sand Hills GWMD). <br /> <br />These changes in well location would allow diversions from a smaller number of wells, allowing for fewer lineal feet of collection pipeline and reduced pipeline costs. Approval of the <br /> variance would provide for more efficient construction and operation of the compact compliance pipeline. <br /> <br />There are no other wells within ½ mile of any of the changed locations. The variance request was published along with the applications to change the use of the wells on March 26 and <br /> April 2, 2008, and no objections were received by May 2, 2008, the end of the objection period. <br /> <br />The RRWCD has approved a resolution, dated April 18, 2008, agreeing to limit pumping from any of these Republican River Compact Compliance Wells to a maximum of 2,500 acre-feet per well, <br /> which may be included as a limitation in approvals by the Commission and the Sandhills GWMD. <br /> <br />Staff recommends approval of the variance. <br /> <br />StaffMemo-RRWCDVariance.doc <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Memorandum <br />Upcoming Commission Meeting <br />Page 2 <br /> <br /> <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 <br /> <br />C. MAX SMITH, CHAIRMAN, Walsh; DENNIS W. CORYELL, VICE-CHAIRMAN, Burlington; GRANT H. BLEDSOE, Wray; LARRY W. CLEVER, Grand Junction; <br />EARNEST L. MIKITA, Calhan; DOUGLAS L. SHRIVER, Monte Vista; COREY M. HUWA, Roggen; FRANK P. JAEGER, Elizabeth; ROBERT R. LOOSE, Wiggins <br /> <br /> <br />2 <br />RRWCD Variance Request Hearing Page <br />May 6, 2008 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />StaffMemo-RRWCDVariance.pdf <br />StaffMemo-USDA-Variance.doc <br /> <br /> STATE OF COLORADO <br />GROUND WATER COMMISSION <br />Division of Water Resources <br />Department of Natural Resources <br /> <br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 818 <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Phone (303) 866-3581 <br />FAX (303) 866-3589 <br /> Bill Ritter, Jr. <br /> Governor <br /> <br /> Harris D. Sherman <br /> Executive Director, DNR <br /> <br /> Dick Wolfe, P.E. <br /> Executive Director <br />