The cost reimbursement process is broken into two distinct phases:
- Phase one includes a thorough analysis of the water source boundaries and other existing applications. This can be done by you and your consultant, or by our consultant.
- Phase two, which must be done by our consultant, consists of preparing technical reports supporting the decision on the water right request.
You will have the opportunity to stop the process at several junctures.
Phase one typically costs between $5,000 and $10,000. If the expected costs are too high, you may choose not to pursue the process any further. If you wish to proceed and would prefer we use our consultant to perform the analysis, a written contract is developed between you and us. You can also stop the process after the phase one analysis is complete. If during phase two we notify you it appears your application will be denied, you can choose not to continue and save the cost of work not yet done.
Phase one
In phase one, your application would be evaluated to identify the boundaries of the source of water. This is the area that could be affected by a proposed water withdrawal. For groundwater applications, this requires a preliminary delineation of the affected aquifer. It is then necessary to find whether there are other prior applications requesting water from the same source. Phase one will also identify likely issues requiring further evaluation.
If you chose to contract with us to have our consultant conduct phase one, we will provide you with a report that includes the scope and a cost estimate for phase two. If you used your own consultant, their report must be forwarded to our consultant with a request for a scope and cost estimate for phase two (you may choose the consultant from our pre-approved list).
Phase two
In phase two, our consultant prepares a report of examination for the application(s). This document consists of technical reports that investigate:
- Water availability issues
- The potential for impairing other water right holders