On September 20 of this year the Colorado Water Conservation Board approved a $15 million loan for the Walker Project. The loan will be included in the 2019 Water Project Bill, if the bill is signed by the Governor, the funds will be available for disbursement pending a executed loan contract.
The Walker Property was purchased in 2016 and is in Weld and Morgan Counties between the towns of Orchard and Wiggins. CCWCD, GMS, & WAS jointly filed an application for water rights and for approval of plan of augmentation for the Walker Recharge site (Division 1 Water Court Case No. 16CW3202) on December 30, 2016. The court application includes surface water rights for three diversions, groundwater rights for four well fields and one existing well, numerous recharge structures, and a plan for augmentation. The plan for augmentation would allow diversions from the included water rights as well as other water rights owned or otherwise controlled by CCWCD, GMS, or WAS to be delivered to the recharge ponds to generate accretions to the South Platte River.
Construction is expected to occur in two phases, each taking three to four years. When finished, recharge credits will be used by GMS and WAS to increase the well pumping quota issued under the respective augmentation plans. CCWCD will use its recharge credits to increase the amount of water leased to GMS, WAS, and other water users within the CCWCD boundaries
Development of Phase 1 and 2 will result in an average annual yield of approximately 14,000 AF. CCWCD owns 15% of the Project, and therefore expects the Project to add 2,100 AF to CCWCD’s lease available water supply.