ColoradoBasinWaterSupplyandNeedsReport

• Basin Roundtable: Colorado
• Title: Water Supply & Needs Report for the Colorado Basin
• Date: 5/1/2006
• Basin Roundtables - Doc Type: Needs Assessment Documents

Colorado Basin Water Supply
and Needs Report

Section 1 Introduction

1.1 The I nterbasin Com pact Process.............................................................................................. 1-1
1.2 The Statewide Water Supply Initiative....................................................................................... 1-1
1.3 Major Findings of SWSI.............................................................................................................1-2
1.4 Major Findings in the Colorado Basin........................................................................................ 1-3

1.5 SWSI Phase 2 ........................................................................................................................... 1-3

1.5.1 The 80 Percent Solution for M&I............................................................................... 1-3
1.5.2 The 20 Percent M&I Gap, Agricultural Shortages, and Environmental and
Recreational Enhancements..................................................................................... 1-4
1.6 An Overview of the Colorado Basin Water Supply and Needs Report ......................................1-5

Section 2 Statewide Demographic, Economic, and Social Setting
2.1 Colorado's Historical and Projected Demographics .................................................................. 2-1

2.1.1 Population .................................................................................................................2-1

2.1.2 Add itional Demog raph ic Information......................................................................... 2-2

Section 3 Physical Environment of the Colorado Basin

3.1 Statewide Overview................................................................................................................... 3-1

3.2 Colorado Basin Physical Environment...................................................................................... 3-2

3.2.1 Geography................................................................................................................ 3-2

3.2.2 Climate...................................................................................................................... 3-2

3.2.3 Topography............................................................................................................... 3-2

3.2.4 Land Use.................................................................................................................. 3-2

3.2.5 Surface Geology....................................................................................................... 3-2

3.2.6 Surface Water........................................................................................................... 3-2

3.2.7 Groundwater............................................................................................................. 3-3

3.2.8 Water Quality............................................................................................................ 3-3

3.2.9 Areas of Environmental Concern, Special Attention Areas, and Threatened
and Endangered Species......................................................................................... 3-4
3.2.10 Energy and Mineral Resources................................................................................. 3-5

Section 4 Legal Framework for Water Use

4.1 Overview of State Water Laws.................................................................................................. 4-1
4.1.1 Colorado/s Prior Appropriation System..................................................................... 4-1
4.1.1.1 The Priority System................................................................................. 4-2

4.1.1.2 Beneficial Use......................................................................................... 4-2

4.1.1.3 Maximum Utilization ................................................................................ 4-3
4.2 Specific Tools for Addressing Water Needs ..............................................................................4-3
4.2.1 Water Storage Rights ...............................................................................................4-3
4.2.2 Conditional Water Rights.......................................................................................... 4-4

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