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<br />AG Report2004-08-20_.docATTORNEY GENERAL’S REPORT <br /> <br />Cases involving the Colorado Ground Water Commission <br />August 20, 2004 <br /> <br />The listing below summarizes all matters in which the Office of the Attorney General currently represents the Colorado Ground Water Commission. <br /> <br /> <br />EAGLE PEAK & PROSPECT VALLEY Case number: 96-GW-13, 99CV97 Designated Basin: Lost Creek Management District: Lost Creek Before: Adams County District Court Attorney: <br /> Pat Kowaleski <br />Subject: Application for ten new well permits and changes for 39 existing wells, with a replacement plan and export out of the District. <br />Status: At the November, 1998 meeting the Commission affirmed the Initial Decision of its Hearing Officer that it was not appropriate to hear Eagle Peak’s change applications because <br /> the Lost Creek District had not yet approved Eagle Peak’s export application. The Commission took the position that it could not approve an application involving export unless the export <br /> had been approved by the District. On January 14, 1999 Eagle Peak appealed this decision to the Adams County District Court and the Court concluded that the Commission no longer has <br /> jurisdiction of the matter and the Court would hear the dispute. At the August Commission meeting, the Commission directed the Staff to negotiate a settlement with the applicant if <br /> the parties were not able to reach a three way settlement, with the District, by September 30, 2003. No such settlement was reached, and the Staff sent its proposed stipulation to the <br /> Commission and to the District for comments. Minor modifications to the stipulation were made as a result of comments received from the District, and the stipulation was signed. <br />The Court approved the Stipulation, but it was challenged by the District, which asserted that the Commission could not agree to a Stipulation until after there had been a hearing on <br /> the applications. The Court disagreed and the Order of the Court is now final. The case against the Commission is now concluded, and Stipulations have been entered into between the <br /> District and the other parties. After about a decade of litigation, the case is now closed. <br />EAGLE PEAK FARMS LTD Case Number: 98CV1727 Designated Basin: Lost Creek Management District: Lost Creek Before: Adams County District Court Attorney: Pat Kowaleski <br />Subject: Denial by the Lost Creek District of Eagle Peak’s application for export <br />Status: The District denied Eagle Peak’s application for export and when Eagle Peak appealed the decision to District Court, the Court dismissed the challenge because all parties had <br /> not been properly served. The Court of Appeals overturned this procedural decision and remanded the case to the District Court for a determination on the merits. The District filed <br /> a Petition for Rehearing with the Court of Appeals and the Petition for Rehearing was denied on February 3, 2000. The Lost Creek District filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with <br /> the Colorado Supreme Court on March 3, 2000 and the petition was denied on August 20, 2000. Motions affecting how this matter will proceed are pending before the District Court. This <br /> case is related to the case above, but the Commission is not a party to the case, since it involves the District’s decision to deny export. <br /> <br />Reinaldo gallegos, et al. Case No. 03CV1335 Designated Basin: Upper Crow Management District: Before: Weld County District Court Attorney: Pat Kowaleski <br />Subject: The Gallegos family requested a hearing to determine whether administration and curtailment is required of the wells and junior surface water rights along Crow Creek to satisfy <br /> the Gallegos Family’s senior surface water right. At its August, 2003 meeting the Commission affirmed its Hearing Officer and concluded that the Commission has no jurisdiction over <br /> surface rights, and is not required to administer the basin based on the priority system. <br />On September 26, 2003 the Gallegos family appealed the Commission’s decision to District Court, and also brought an additional action against the State Engineer in his capacity as the <br /> administrator of surface rights. Assistant Attorney General Alexandra Davis is handling the latter litigation. <br />In the Commission litigation, we filed a Motion with the Court, asking that the Court notify and join all well permit holders who might be adversely affected if the Court were to call <br /> out permit holders, based on the Gallegos’ decreed surface right. Gallegos has also filed a Motion to join this case with the case against the State Engineer. <br />In a decision which we received on February 11, 2004, the Court agreed with us that junior well permit holders might be adversely affected, and therefore required them to be joined in <br /> the litigation. The Court also denied the Motion to join this case with the case against the State Engineer. <br /> <br />Status: The Plaintiffs have amended their complaint to include junior well permit holders. They have served most of those parties, who have retained attorneys and filed responses to <br /> the complaint. The case against the State Engineer is being held in abeyance, pending a decision in the case against the Commission. The next activity in the case is likely to be the <br /> filing of motions to ask the Court to determine the legal consequences of the Commission having established the designated basin. <br /> <br />PEORIA CROSSING, LLC. Case No. 02-GW-18 Designated Basin: Kiowa-Bijou Management District: North Kiowa Bijou Before: Jody Grantham, Hearing Officer Attorney: Tanya Light <br />Subject: Peoria Crossing filed an application for determination of water right to allow <br />appropriation of designated ground water from the Laramie-Fox Hills aquifer underlying its 241.36 acre property. Peoria Crossing filed an appeal challenging the Staff’s calculation <br /> of a cylinder of appropriation for an existing well owned by LaFarge West, Inc., and the resulting decrease in the amount of allocation determined for the aquifer underlying Peoria <br /> Crossing’s property. <br /> <br />Status: A hearing was held on October, 22, 2002. Peoria Crossing, LaFarge West and the Staff <br />participated in the hearing. On December 2, 2002, the Hearing Officer issued his initial decision and found: (1) a cylinder of appropriation is not a water right, but rather a measure <br /> of the beneficial use that is the actual water right for a pre-213 well; (2) although LaFarge’s well was permitted and completed prior to implementation of the 1965 Act, the 1965 Act <br /> and modified prior appropriation doctrine apply to the determination of the final extent of LaFarge’s water right; (3) Staff’s calculation of the cylinder of appropriation for LaFarge’s <br /> well is incorrect; and (4) LaFarge does not yet have a final permit, and in order to proceed with the proper determination of the amount of water available to the Applicant, Staff must <br /> proceed with final permitting and notice of LaFarge’s water right in a separate proceeding. The Hearing Officer ordered that this matter is held in abeyance until Staff completes final <br /> permitting for LaFarge’s well, and ordered Staff to initiate final permitting within a reasonable time frame. Staff published the notice of intent to issue final permit on July 31, <br /> and August 7, 2003. LaFarge West filed a Motion to Vacate Order, which was subsequently withdrawn. On September 11, 2003, the Hearing Officer issued an order stating that the Initial <br /> Decision of the Hearing Officer is the Final Decision of the Commission. Lafarge and Staff are in the process of settling the Lafarge case. Once the settlement is complete, the Peoria <br /> Crossing case may proceed. <br /> <br />WAYNE E. and frances g. booker Case No. 02-GW-20 Designated Basin: Upper Black Squirrel Management District: Upper Black Squirrel Before: Jody Grantham, Hearing Officer Attorney: <br /> Susan Schneider and Tanya Light <br />Subject: Objections by the District, Cherokee Metropolitan District, and Schubert Ranches to <br />applications to relocate the wells with Permit Nos. R-16265-FP, R-16271-FP, R-16272-FP, 27560-FP, and 27585-FP <br /> <br />Status: The Applicants appealed the Staff’s evaluation of their application and requested a <br />hearing before the Commission to obtain a variance from Commission Rules. The setting of a hearing before the Hearing Officer was postponed until after the variance request hearing. <br /> The Commission denied the variance request at its February 21, 2003 meeting. A hearing in this matter was held on September 9, 2003. The Applicant, District, Shubert Ranches and <br /> Staff participated in the hearing. On September 17, 2003, the Hearing Officer issued his Initial Decision and found as follows: (1) The applications are for changes of water right <br /> pursuant to section 37-90-111(1)(g), C.R.S. and Commission Rule 7; (2) According to Commission Rule 7.3.2, there is no water available to move to the new well locations requested by <br /> the Applicant; (3) The Applicants’ request to be excluded from the requirement of including years of non-use in their historic use analysis “for good cause” pursuant to Commission <br /> Rule 7.10.1 is denied; and (4) Because there is no water available to move, the applications are denied. On November 17, 2003, the Applicants filed Exceptions to the Hearing Officer’s <br /> Initial Decision. This matter will be heard on appeal by the Commission at the May 2004 meeting. <br /> <br />WOODMAN HILLS METROPOLITAN DISTRICT Case No. 03-GW-04 Designated Basin: Upper Black Squirrel Management District: Upper Black Squirrel Before: Jody Grantham, Hearing Officer Attorney: <br /> Tanya Light <br />Subject: Objection by the Upper Black Squirrel Creek Ground Water Management District to <br />Woodman Hill’s application for a replacement plan to allow withdrawals from the Dawson aquifer underlying a 1648.25 acre overlying land area, in accordance with Determination of Water <br /> Right Nos. 129-BD and 133-BD. <br /> <br />Status: On November 14, 2003 the District and the Applicant entered into a stipulation whereby the District withdrew its objection. The Hearing Officer vacated a hearing that had been <br /> set for November 19 and 20, 2003, and ordered Staff to proceed with the administrative steps necessary to process the application. Staff has processed the application accordingly. <br /> This case had been re-set for a hearing before the Hearing Officer on June 21 and 22, 2004. Prior to the hearing, the parties reached a stipulation and the hearing was vacated. <br /> <br />jerry r. landress Case No. 03-GW-07 Designated Basin: Upper Black Squirrel Creek Management District: Upper Black Squirrel Creek Before: Jody Grantham, Hearing Officer Attorney: <br /> Tanya Light <br />Subject: Objection by the Upper Black Squirrel Ground Water Management District to <br />applications for determinations of water right to allow appropriations from the Laramie-Fox Hills, Dawson, Arapahoe, and Denver aquifers underlying a 119.34 acre property. <br /> <br />Status: A hearing before the Hearing Officer was set for August 20, 2003. On August 12, 2003, <br />the Staff filed a Motion for Summary Judgment to vacate the hearing and for an order holding that (a) The Applications are not speculative; (2) District Rules do not apply to the Applications. <br /> The District filed a response in opposition to the Motion on both issues. On September 29th, the Hearing Officer issued his Order finding: (1) The Applicant has satisfied the Commission’s <br /> criteria and the applications are not speculative; (2) As a matter of law, the applicability and effect of District rules is not relevant to the resolution of this determination of <br /> water right; and (3) The Motion for Summary Judgment is granted. The District filed exceptions to the September 29, 2003 Order. This matter was to be heard on appeal at the February <br /> 2004 Commission meeting, but the District withdrew its Appeal on February 5, 2004 according to a stipulation that it entered into with the Applicant. Consequently, the Initial Decision <br /> was made a Final Order of the Commission. This case is closed. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />falcon school district 49 Case No. 03-GW-08 Designated Basin: Upper Black Squirrel Creek Management District: Upper Black Squirrel Creek Before: Jody Grantham, Hearing Officer Attorney: <br /> Tanya Light <br />Subject: Objection by the Upper Black Squirrel Ground Water Management District to Falcon <br />School District’s application for a replacement plan to allow withdrawals from the Dawson aquifer underlying a 40 acre overlying land area, in accordance with Determination of Water <br /> Right No. 307-BD. <br /> <br />Status: A hearing before the Hearing Officer was set for November 14, 2003. On November 13, <br />2003, the Applicant and District entered into a Stipulation, and as a result, the District withdrew its objection. Consequently, the Hearing Officer vacated the hearing and ordered <br /> Staff to take necessary steps to finalize approval of the plan. This case is closed. <br /> <br />jay harris Case No. 03-GW-09 Designated Basin: Northern High Plains Management District: Frenchman Before: Jody Grantham, Hearing Officer Attorney: Tanya Light <br />Subject: Appeal by Mr. Harris to the denial of his application to appropriate additional water <br />and increase the acres irrigated by the well with Permit No. 6366-FP. <br /> <br />Status: A hearing before the Hearing Officer was set for December 3 and 4, 2003. In response <br />to additional modeling being performed, Staff re-evaluated the application and determined that the application could be given favorable consideration. As a result, on November 14, 2003, <br /> Staff filed a Motion to Reverse Staff’s Denial, To Publish Application and to Dismiss Appeal. The Hearing Officer granted the Motion to dismiss and remanded the matter back to Staff <br /> for publication. Case Closed. <br /> <br />rmbg, llc. Case Nos. 03-GW-10 and 03-GW-11 Designated Basin: Upper Black Squirrel Creek Management District: Upper Black Squirrel Creek Before: Jody Grantham, Hearing Officer Attorney: <br /> Tanya Light <br />Subject: Objections by the District to applications for determinations of water right to allow <br />appropriations from the Dawson, Arapahoe, and Denver aquifers underlying a 69.72 acre property and objections by the District to applications for determinations of water right to allow <br /> appropriations from the Arapahoe, and Denver aquifers underlying a 977.19 acre property. <br /> <br />Status: A hearing before the Hearing Officer was set for January 23, 2004. On January 16, <br />2004, the Applicant filed a Motion to Continue the Hearing, because this case involved similar issues (the anti-speculation doctrine and application of district rules to an application <br /> for determination of water rights) as contained in a Motion for Summary Judgment filed in Application of Landress, Case No. 03GW07. The Hearing Officer ordered that the hearing be <br /> continued. On April 15, 2004 the District withdrew its objection. On April 23, 2004 the Hearing Officer dismissed the matter and vacated the hearing. This case is closed. <br /> <br />MEADOW LAKE AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT CORP. Case No. 03-GW-12 Designated Basin: Upper Black Squirrel Creek Management District: Upper Black Squirrel Creek Before: Jody Grantham, Hearing <br /> Officer Attorney: Tanya T. Light <br />Subject: Objection by the Upper Black Squirrel Creek Ground Water Management <br />District to applications for determinations of water right to allow appropriations from the Laramie-Fox Hills, Arapahoe and Denver aquifers underlying a 163 acre property. <br /> <br />Status: On October 17, 2003 the Hearing Officer’s representative held a scheduling conference to set a hearing in this case. At the scheduling conference, Steve Shuttleworth, representing <br /> the applicant, stated that the applicant no longer owned the property that was the subject of the application, and that the application would be withdrawn. The Hearing Officer’s representative <br /> asked Mr. Shuttleworth to submit a letter to Staff or Staff’s attorney withdrawing the application. Despite repeated telephone calls and requests from the Attorney General’s office, <br /> Mr. Shuttleworth never withdrew the application. On January 2, 2004 Staff filed a Motion to Dismiss this case, and on January 21, 2004 the Hearing Officer dismissed the case. Staff <br /> returned the application to the applicant. This case is closed. <br /> <br />WU-HSIEN HSIEH, YEN Y. HSIEH, MING H. HSIEH, GORDON H. LEE AND LUCIA H. LEE (JOSHUA TRUSTEES) Case No. 03-GW-13 Designated Basin: Upper Black Squirrel Management District: Upper Black <br /> Squirrel Before: Jody Grantham, Hearing Officer Attorney: Tanya T. Light <br />Subject: Objection by the Upper Black Squirrel Creek Ground Water Management District to the applications for determinations of water right to allow appropriations from the Laramie-Fox <br /> Hills, Arapahoe and Denver Aquifers underlying a 76.3 acre property. <br /> <br />Status: On October 23, 2003 the applicants filed a Motion for Summary Judgment to vacate the hearing set for December 16, 2003 and for an order holding that (1) the applicants have <br /> satisfied the Commission criteria and the application is not speculative; (2) the applicants are not required to adhere to District rules during the resolution of the determination <br /> of water right application; (3) the District’s request to review additional details regarding Applicant’s plan for the water be denied; and (4) that the matter be remanded to Commission <br /> Staff to take administrative steps required to proceed with the issuance of the determination of water rights. On November 6, 2003 the District filed a response in opposition to the <br /> Motion on all issues. On November 7, 2003 the Staff filed a Response in Support of the Applicant’s Motion for Summary Judgment asserting that (1) under Landress and Bradbury, the Commission <br /> has the authority to establish criteria to determine whether an application is speculative, and since this application meets that criteria, the application is not speculative; and (2) <br /> Bradbury clearly holds that the applicants are not bound by District rules in the permitting process because the District’s jurisdiction begins after the Commission has issued a well <br /> permit, which comes after approval of a determination of water right. On November 24, 2003 the Hearing Officer issued his Order finding: (1) The applicants have satisfied the Commission’s <br /> criteria and the application is not speculative; (2) The Motion for Summary Judgment is granted; (3) As a matter of law, the applicability and effect of District rules is not relevant <br /> to the resolution of this determination of water right application; (4) This matter is remanded to Staff to take the administrative steps required to proceed with the issuance of the <br /> determination of water rights consistent with this order; and (5) The hearing set for December 16, 2003 is vacated. The District filed exceptions to the November 29, 2003 Order. This <br /> matter was to be heard on appeal at the February 2004 Commission meeting, but the District withdrew its Appeal on February 5, 2004 according to a stipulation that it entered into with <br /> the Applicants. Consequently, the Initial Decision was made a Final Order of the Commission. This case is closed. <br /> <br />appeal of rules adopted by the upper black squirrel creek ground water management district Case No. 03-GW-14 Designated Basin: Upper Black Squirrel Creek Management District: Upper <br /> Black Squirrel Creek Before: Jody Grantham, Hearing Officer Attorney: Tanya Light <br />Subject: Cherokee, Meridian Ranch, Meridian Service, Paint Brush Hills and Woodmen <br />Hills Metropolitan Districts filed an appeal to the adoption of Rule Nos. 3, 17, 18, and 19 by the Upper Black Squirrel Creek Ground Water Management District. <br /> <br />Status: A prehearing conference was held on November 5, 2003. The Hearing Officer <br />determined that the Commission has no jurisdiction to hear appeals of rules regarding small capacity wells, and therefore has no jurisdiction to hear the appeal of proposed District <br /> Rule 3. The parties agreed that the remaining issues could be decided on the briefs, and therefore the hearing set for March, 2004 was vacated. In April 2004 the Hearing Officer issued <br /> Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Initial Decision of the Hearing Officer, whereby he ruled that, as a matter of law, the District exceeded its statutory and decisional law authority, <br /> and therefore Rules 17, 18 and 19 were null and void. On May 6, 2004 the District timely filed a request to reverse or modify the Initial Decision. On that same date the District <br /> also timely filed a Designation of the Record. Briefs are due to the Commission on August 6, 2004. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />lafarge west, inc. Case No. 03-GW-15 Designated Basin: Kiowa-Bijou Management District: North Kiowa-Bijou Before: Jody Grantham, Hearing Officer Attorney: Tanya T. Light <br />Subject: LaFarge West filed an objection to the approval of its final permit. LaFarge objected to the utilization of 11.3 acre-feet as the measure of beneficial use and requested 31 <br /> acre-feet be utilized as the appropriate measure. <br /> <br />Status: A hearing was held on February 2, 2004. LaFarge and the Staff participated in the hearing. Subsequent to the hearing, Staff and Lafarge agreed to settle the case by permitting <br /> the well for 14.1 acre-feet as the measure of beneficial use. The settlement agreement has not been signed as of the date of this report. <br /> <br />ROBERT SOLBERG; HJK FAMILY PARTNERS, LTD, AND CORRAL RANCHES DEVELOPMENT CO. Case No. 03-GW-17 Designated Basin: Upper Black Squirrel Creek Management District: Upper Black Squirrel <br /> Creek Before: Jody Grantham, Hearing Officer Attorney: Tanya T. Light <br />Subject: Objection by the Upper Black Squirrel Creek Ground Water Management District to applications for determinations of water right to allow appropriations from the Laramie-Fox <br /> Hills, Arapahoe, and Denver aquifers underlying a 185.3 acre property. <br /> <br />Status: A hearing had been set for June 4, 2004. On April 15, 2004 the District withdrew its objection. On April 24, 2004 the Hearing Officer dismissed the matter and vacated the hearing. <br /> This case is closed. <br /> <br />john and rita field Case No. 03-GW-18 Designated Basin: Upper Black Squirrel Creek Management District: Upper Black Squirrel Creek Before: Jody Grantham, Hearing Officer Attorney: <br /> Tanya Light <br />Subject: Objection by the Upper Black Squirrel Creek Ground Water Management <br />District to the application to change the allowed beneficial uses for Determination of Water Right No. 273-BD. <br /> <br />Status: A hearing before the Hearing Officer had been set for April 23, 2004. On March 26, 2004 the District withdrew its objection. On April 2, 2004 the Hearing Officer dismissed <br /> the case and remanded to the Staff for administrative action. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />P:NR\H2O\GWC\05-21 AG Report.doc <br /> <br />8 <br /> <br /> <br />2 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />AgendaAug04.doc <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Determine quorum <br /> <br />Review and approval of agenda items <br /> <br />Approval of Minutes for Meeting of May 21, 2004 <br /> <br />Report of the Executive Director by Hal Simpson <br /> <br />Hearing on the appeal of the Hearing Officer’s Initial Decision (Case No. 03-GW-14) in the matter of an appeal to district rules adopted by the Upper Black Squirrel Creek Ground Water <br /> Management District by Andrew Jones, Attorney for the District <br /> <br />Discussion on proposed language for future rulemaking regarding new appropriations and expansion of acres in the Republican River Basin within the Northern High Plains by Suzanne Sellers <br /> <br />Discussion on future legislation the Commission or Districts may wish to pursue <br /> <br />Staff Report by Suzanne Sellers <br /> <br />Report of the Attorney General by Tanya Light <br /> <br />Management District Reports: <br /> a. Frenchman e. WY i. Southern High Plains <br /> b. Sand Hills f. Arikaree j. North KiowaBijou <br /> c. Marks Butte g. Plains k. Upper Black Squirrel <br /> d. Central Yuma h. East Cheyenne l. Upper Big Sandy <br />Lost Creek <br /> <br />Old Business <br /> <br />New Business <br /> <br />Adjournment <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETING OF THE <br />COLORADO GROUND WATER COMMISSION <br /> <br />8:30 a.m., Friday, August 20, 2004 <br /> <br />Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District Headquarters <br />220 Water Avenue <br />Berthoud, CO 80513 <br />Phone: (970) 532-7700 <br /> <br />A G E N D A <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Final Permit Activity.doc <br /> <br />Final Permit Activity to Date Basin Total Number of Permits Total Final Permits Issued <br />Percent Complete <br />Percent Clarified Upper Crow Creek <br />101 <br />101 <br />100% <br />100% Northern High Plains 4369 <br />4360 <br />(3002 - 1980s & 1990s) <br />(1358 between 2000-2002) <br /> <br />99.8% <br />100% Lost Creek 302 292 (1980s & 1990s) 97% 97% Camp Creek 45 44 98% 98% Upper Black Squirrel Creek 339 198 <br />(1980s) 42% 42% Southern High Plains 1268 25 <br />2% <br />10% Kiowa-Bijou 1000 0 0% 0% Upper Big Sandy 127 0 0% 0% Total 7551 5020 66% - <br />As of May 2004 we have approximately 2530 final permits to complete. Rick processed the NHPs at a rate of 450 per year. He says SHP is going slower than NHPs. With one FTE its may <br /> take approximately 6.5 years to complete this project. <br /> <br />Lost Creek and Kiowa Bijou are swags by Rich and Eric. Erin McIntyre was not able to complete the review of those two basins. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Memorandum to Hal Simpson Page 3 <br />Quarterly Commission Staff Activity Report <br />June 1, 2004 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />S:\DesBasPrograms\GWC Meetings\Aug04\Final Permit Activity.doc <br /> <br />S:\DesBasPrograms\GWC Meetings\Aug04\Final Permit Activity.doc <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />FinalStaffproposedchanges.docOPTION 1 for Rule 5.2.2 <br /> <br /> 5.2.2 Northern High Plains Designated Ground Water Basin  Ogallala Aquifer (including Alluvial and White River Aquifers). <br /> <br /> 5.2.2.1 The areal extent of the Ogallala Aquifer (including Alluvial and White River Aquifers) are is considered to coincide with the areal extent of the Northern High Plains Designated <br /> Basin. <br /> 5.2.2.2 All new appropriations FROM THE OGALLALA AQUIFER (INCLUDING THE WHITE RIVER) shall be controlled by management criteria that limit the maximum allowable rate of depletion to <br /> 40% of the water in storage within the saturated materials over a 100 year period. No new appropriation that exceeds this allowable rate of depletion, absent a replacement plan, shall <br /> be granted. The amount of water in storage shall be determined as of the date of acceptance of a complete application. <br /> <br /> 5.2.2.3 In the evaluation of new permit applications, the following threemile radius circle formula shall be used in the determination of whether an application shall be granted or <br /> denied: <br /> <br /> A = 640(D)(S.Y.) 3.1416 R2 H + 640(f)(Pr) 3.1416 R2 <br /> (1.0  Ir)t 12(1.0  Ir) <br /> <br /> where, <br /> A = Annual appropriation allowable within the circle being <br /> evaluated in acrefeet per year <br /> D = Allowable depletion (expressed as a decimal) <br /> S.Y. = Specific yield (dimensionless) <br /> R = Radius of circle (miles) <br /> H = Average saturated thickness within the circle (feet) <br /> t = Time period during which depletion, D, occurs (years) <br /> Pr = Precipitation recharge (inches/yr.) <br /> f = Fraction of Pr that is available for appropriation in the <br /> circle (dimensionless) <br /> Ir = Fraction of A that returns to the aquifer as deep <br /> percolation, i.e., irrigation return (dimensionless) <br /> <br /> The constants in the above equation are: <br /> <br /> D = 0.4, S.Y. = 0.15, R = 3 miles, t = 100 years, f = 0.2 and <br /> Ir = 0.15 <br /> <br /> Use of these constants in the formula above gives: <br /> <br /> A = 12.77H + 354.82Pr <br /> <br /> Saturated thickness, H, shall be determined by an evaluation of contour maps developed from well completion reports of existing wells as well as other pertinent available water level <br /> data. Precipitation recharge, Pr, will be determined from Figure 18 of the report "Distribution of Ground Water Recharge," AER6667 DLR9, Colorado State University, June 1967 by Donald <br /> L. Reddell. <br /> <br /> 5.2.2.4 When the threemile circle includes the White River Formation, located in the area as shown on figure 1, the value for Specific Yield (S.Y.) in the above formula will be 0.25. <br /> The thickness of saturated materials, H, will be the average net sands thickness in the threemile circle. The annual available appropriation from within the threemile circle can <br /> then be computed as: <br /> <br /> A = 21.29H + 354.82Pr <br /> <br /> 5.2.2.5 Appropriations within the threemile circle shall be included as a chargeable appropriation against the application for the stated annual appropriation on a final permit or <br /> for the amount evidenced to have been put to beneficial use under a valid conditional permit. The appropriation amounts on all new conditional permits and prior applications not yet <br /> permitted shall also be included as chargeable amounts against the application. <br /> <br /> 5.2.2.6 When an application is received within 3 miles of the state line or the boundary of the Northern High Plains Designated Basin, the volume of water in storage, the amount of <br />