Water Works 8 - 3/15/03

Calculated Water Need Exceeds Actual Need

( Excerpts from Fellow Correspondent’s letter, continued. )

All water allocation permits require a justification of need. Such an estimate of need was included in the HN0017 application for up to 10.150 mgm, which is slightly above the requested 9.319 mgm. However, the water use reports (Attachment 3) for 2000 indicate just over 3 mgm per year were used by QVF for 42 acres planted. Water use went down in 2001 to less than 3.1 mgm despite the expansion to a reported 90 acres farmed. Water use reports for 2002 are not available yet, but more acres were planted in 2002 than in 2001, as the mum fields expanded to completely cover the fields north of Old Franklin School Road.

The data indicates that the entire site is essentially being farmed under a 3.1 mgm allocation permit as supported by the Water Use Reports for 2000 and 2001, and apparently for 2002 as well. Assuming that the water use has been accurately reported, the 119 acres of QVF can be successfully farmed with just the 3.1 mgm allocation of water. Therefore, it appears that the calculated water need exceeds actual water need. Also note that the September, 2000 water use report form reported 3.528 mgm, despite a permit limit of 3.1 mgm.