Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

WATER AND LAND ASSETS

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WATER AND LAND ASSETS
12 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2015
Investments In Water Water Systems Land And Improvements  
WATER AND LAND ASSETS

The Company's water and water systems consist of the following approximate costs and accumulated depreciation and depletion as of August 31:

 

 

    August 31, 2015     August 31, 2014  
    Costs     Accumulated Depreciation and Depletion     Costs     Accumulated Depreciation and Depletion  
Arkansas River assets   $ -     $ -     $ 67,746,400     $ (1,488,600 )
Rangeview water supply     14,444,600       (8,800 )     14,444,600       (8,400 )
Sky Ranch water rights and other costs     6,440,800       (194,600 )     6,004,000       (93,000 )
Fairgrounds water and water system     2,899,900       (798,700 )     2,899,900       (710,600 )
Rangeview water system     1,256,300       (110,300 )     1,148,200       (77,900 )
Water supply – other     3,973,300       (193,900 )     1,050,200       (90,900 )
Totals     29,014,900       (1,306,300 )     93,293,300       (2,469,400 )
Net investments in water and water systems   $ 27,708,600             $ 90,823,900          

 

Depletion and Depreciation

 

The Company recorded $7,000, $4,400, and $500 of depletion charges during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. During the fiscal years ended August 31, 2015 and 2014, this related to the Rangeview Water Supply (defined below) and the Sky Ranch water supply (discussed below) and during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2013 this related entirely to the Rangeview Water Supply. No depletion was taken against the Arkansas River water (discussed below) because the water located at this location was not utilized for its intended purpose.

 

The Company recorded $340,300, $192,200 and $310,800 of depreciation expense in each of the fiscal years ended August 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. These figures include depreciation for other equipment not included in the table above.

 

Arkansas River Assets

 

Arkansas River Water – The Company owned approximately 51,000 acre feet of senior water rights in the Arkansas River and its tributaries in Southeastern Colorado. The Company acquired its Arkansas River assets from HP A&M pursuant to the Arkansas River Agreement entered into on May 10, 2006.

 

The Company sold its Arkansas River assets to Arkansas River Farms, LLC pursuant to the Purchase and Sale Agreement entered into on March 11, 2015 for approximately $45.8 million, for a loss of approximately $22.1 million.

 

The value of the assets was recorded based on the determined fair value of the consideration paid at the acquisition date in 2006, because the value of the consideration was deemed a more reliable criterion of value than the value of the acquired assets. The consideration paid was comprised of equity (3.0 million shares of the Company's common stock) and the Tap Participation Fee. Because the estimated value of the consideration paid was less than the total estimated fair value of the assets acquired by the Company, the relative values assigned to the assets were ratably reduced.

 

Fort Lyon Canal Company ("FLCC") Shares – The Arkansas River water rights were represented by 18,448.44 shares of the FLCC, which is a non-profit mutual ditch company established in the late 1800s that operates and maintains the 110 mile Fort Lyon Canal between La Junta, Colorado and Lamar, Colorado. The shares in the FLCC represent the amount of water the Company owned in the Fort Lyon Canal.

 

Arkansas River Land – The Company owned approximately 14,600 acres of real property which was being used for agricultural purposes and was acquired from HP A&M in 2006 in connection with the water acquisition described above. The land is located in the counties of Bent, Otero and Prowers in southern Colorado. The Company also owned certain contract rights, tangible personal property, mineral rights, and other water interests related to the Arkansas River water and land.

The land owned by the Company was divided into separate properties, each of which is being leased to area farmers. The operating leases expire on December 31, 2015 at which time the Company intends to discontinue its farm operations.

 

The Company received lease income from farm leases of approximately $1,127,200, $1,068,000, and $1,241,900 for the fiscal years ended August 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

 

As part of the settlement with HP A&M, on January 28, 2015, HP A&M assigned its 75% mineral interests in the Arkansas River land to the Company. Together with the 25% mineral interests the Company owned prior to the settlement, the Company now holds approximately 13,900 acres of mineral interests. The Company has valued its mineral interests at approximately $1,425,500. The settlement is described in greater detail in Note 12 – Litigation Loss Contingencies.

 

Land and Water Shares Held for Sale

 

Beginning in fiscal year 2012 and through August 31, 2014, the Company completed sales of approximately 1,886 acres of land and 2,982 FLCC shares associated with the land, and in November 2014, completed sales of approximately 299 acres of land along with 239 FLCC shares associated with the land for approximately $700,000 recorded as land and water held for sale-current. Management believes that the November 2014 sale completes the sales cycle related to the land held for sale. Due to modifications of the actual acreage sold and the number of FLCC shares associated with the land sold, a gain on the transaction of approximately $1.3 million was recorded during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014.

 

In addition, management identified an additional 640 acres of land and 512 FLCC shares associated with the land as held for sale in order to have sufficient cash available to continue to meet future obligations on the promissory notes the Company issued to purchase the defaulted notes owed by HP A&M and to continue to fund water system expansions. The net book value of the assets identified as held for sale was $1.9 million prior to designation as held for sale. The anticipated sales price for these assets was $1.5 million based on recent sales transactions, which resulted in a loss of approximately $400,000, which was expensed in fiscal 2014.

 

The Company sold its remaining Arkansas River assets, including the land and water shares held for sale, to Arkansas River Farms, LLC pursuant to the Purchase and Sale Agreement entered into on March 11, 2015.

 

Rangeview Water Supply and Water System

 

The "Rangeview Water Supply" consists of 20,450 acre feet and is a combination of tributary surface water and groundwater rights along with certain storage rights associated with the Lowry Range, a 27,000-acre property owned by the Land Board located 16 miles southeast of Denver, Colorado. The $14.4 million on the Company's balance sheet as of August 31, 2015, represents the costs of assets acquired or facilities constructed to extend water service to customers located on and off the Lowry Range. The recorded costs of the Rangeview Water Supply include payments to the sellers of the Rangeview Water Supply, design and construction costs and certain direct costs related to improvements to the asset including legal and engineering fees.

 

The Company acquired the Rangeview Water Supply beginning in 1996 when:

 

(i) The District entered into the 1996 Amended and Restated Lease Agreement with the Land Board, which owns the Lowry Range;

 

(ii) The Company entered into the Agreement for Sale of Export Water with the District;

 

(iii) The Company entered into the 1996 Service Agreement with the District for the provision of water service to the Lowry Range; and

 

(iv) In 1997, the Company entered into the Wastewater Service Agreement with the District for the provision of wastewater service to the District's service area.

 

 

In July 2014, the Company, the District and the Land Board entered into the 2014 Amended and Restated Lease (the "Lease"), which superseded the original 1996 lease, and the Company and the District entered into an Amended and Restated Service Agreement. Collectively, the foregoing agreements, as amended, are referred to as the "Rangeview Water Agreements."

 

Pursuant to the Rangeview Water Agreements, the Company owns 11,650 acre feet of groundwater which can be exported off the Lowry Range to serve area users (referred to as "Export Water"). The Company also has the right to exchange an aggregate gross volume of 165,000 acre feet of groundwater for 1,650 acre feet per year of adjudicated surface water and to use this surface water as Export Water. Additionally, the Company has the exclusive right to provide water and wastewater service, through 2081, to all water users on the Lowry Range, and the right to develop an additional 8,800 acre feet of groundwater and 3,300 acre feet of adjudicated surface water (subject to the exchange for Export Water) to serve customers either on or off the Lowry Range. The Rangeview Water Agreements also provide for the Company to use surface reservoir storage capacity in providing water service to customers both on and off the Lowry Range.

 

Services on the Lowry Range – Pursuant to the Rangeview Water Agreements, the Company designs, finances, constructs, operates and maintains the District's water and wastewater systems to provide service to the District's customers on the Lowry Range. The Company will operate both the water and the wastewater systems during the contract period, and the District owns both systems. After 2081, ownership of the water system will revert to the Land Board, with the District retaining ownership of the wastewater system.

 

Rates and charges for all water and wastewater services on the Lowry Range, including tap fees and usage or monthly fees, are governed by the terms of the Rangeview Water Agreements. Rates and charges are required to be less than the average of similar rates and charges of three surrounding municipal water and wastewater service providers, which are reassessed annually. Pursuant to the Rangeview Water Agreements the Land Board receives a royalty of 10% or 12% of gross revenues from the sale or disposition of the water depending on the purchaser of the water, except that the royalty on tap fees shall be 2% (other than taps sold for Sky Ranch which are exempt). The Company will also pay the Land Board a minimum annual water production fee, which is currently under negotiation, but estimated to be no more than $140,000, which is to be credited against future royalties. The District retains 2% of the remaining gross revenues and the Company receives 98% of the remaining gross revenues after the Land Board royalty. The Land Board does not receive a royalty on wastewater fees. The Company receives 100% of the District's wastewater tap fees and 90% of the District's wastewater usage fees (the District retains the other 10%).

 

Export Water – The Company owns the Export Water and intends to use it to provide water and wastewater services to customers off the Lowry Range. The Company will own all wholesale facilities required to extend water and wastewater services using its Export Water. The Company anticipates contracting with third parties for the construction of these facilities. If the Company sells water, the Company is required to pay royalties to the Land Board ranging from 10% to 12% of gross revenues.

 

The Arapahoe County Fairgrounds Water and Water System

 

The Company owns 321 acre feet of groundwater purchased pursuant to its agreement with Arapahoe County. The Company plans to use this water in conjunction with its Rangeview Water Rights in providing water to areas outside the Lowry Range. The $2.9 million of capitalized costs includes the costs to construct various Wholesale and Special Facilities, including a new deep water well, a 500,000-gallon water tank and pipelines to transport water to the Arapahoe County fairgrounds.

  

Sky Ranch

 

In 2010, the Company purchased approximately 931 acres of undeveloped land known as Sky Ranch. The property includes the rights to 820 acre feet of water.

 

Total consideration for the land and water included the $7.0 million purchase price, plus direct costs and fees of $554,100. The Company allocated the total acquisition cost to the land and water rights based on estimates of each asset's respective fair value.

 

At August 31, 2015, Sky Ranch Metropolitan District #5 owed the Company approximately $148,400 relating to various advances to pay for costs associated with establishing and operating the district. The Company anticipates these costs will be recovered through future revenues from property tax assessments.

 

O&G Lease – On March 10, 2011, the Company entered into the O&G Lease and the Surface Use Agreement with Anadarko. Pursuant to the O&G Lease, the Company received an up-front payment of $1,243,400 from Anadarko for the purpose of exploring for, developing, producing and marketing oil and gas on 634 acres of mineral estate owned by the Company at its Sky Ranch property. The Company also received $9,000 in surface use and damage payments. In December 2012, the O&G Lease was purchased by a wholly owned subsidiary of ConocoPhillips Company. The Company received an additional payment of $1,243,400 during February 2014 to extend the O&G Lease an additional two years through February 2016.