ColoradoBasinWaterSupplyandNeedsReport

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Section 1 Introduction 1.1 The Interbasin Compact Process In June 2005, Colorado Governor Bill Owens signed into law the Colorado Water for the 21 st Century Act (the Act) creating the Interbasin Compact Process. The Act affirms Colorado's existing prior-appropriation doctrine for water rights, while acknowledging that water is a limited resource and there is a need for statewide cooperation. The Act creates Basin Roundtables for each of Colorado's eight major river basins plus a distinct roundtable for the Denver metropolitan area. The Basin Roundtables are comprised of a diverse cross-section of citizens, representing a variety of interests such as water conservation and conservancy districts, recreational and environmental interests, local governments, and water providers. In order to facilitate and encourage collaboration among Colorado's river basins, the Act also created the Interbasin Compact Committee (IBCC). The IBCC is comprised of gubernatorial appointments, legislative appointments, and two representatives from each Basin Roundtable. The IBCC is responsible for guiding discussions and voluntary negotiations between basins. Each Basin Roundtable is charged with developing a basinwide water needs assessment. This is to consist of: Using data and information from the Statewide Water Supply Initiative and other appropriate sources ... develop a basinwide consumptive and nonconsumptive water supply needs assessment, conduct an analysis of available unappropriated waters within the basin, and propose projects or methods, both structural and nonstructural, for meeting those needs. " This Basin Water Supply and Needs Report provides a starting point for the Colorado Water Needs Assessment. The report is taken largely from information generated during Phase 1 of the Statewide Water Supply Initiative (SWSI). Phase 2 of SWSI, currently underway, aims to further analyze, evaluate, and develop consensus in four key areas: . Water Conservation and Efficiency S:\ 1177\Basin Reports\Colorado\S 1_ Colorado.doc . Alternative Agricultural Transfers to Permanent Dry- up . Prioritize and Quantify Recreational and Environmental Needs . Addressing the 20 Percent M&I Gap, Agricultural Shortages, and Environmental and Recreational Needs Including Development of Alternatives 1.2 The Statewide Water Supply Initiative In 2003, the Colorado legislature recognized the critical need to understand and better prepare for our long-term water needs, and authorized the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) to implement SWSI, a comprehensive study of how Colorado will meet its future water needs. SWSI also conducted public information and Basin Roundtable activities that were designed to provide a mechanism and forum for the CWCB Board to solicit and exchange information, and was essential to the success of the project. The SWSI Basin Roundtables, with the support of the CWCB Board, defined the overall water management objectives, established performance measures to meet these objectives, and identified solutions for meeting future water needs. The overall objective of SWSI is to help Colorado maintain an adequate water supply for its citizens and the environment. SWSI is not intended to take the place of local water planning initiatives. Rather, it is a "forum" to develop a common understanding of existing water supplies and future water supply needs and demands throughout Colorado, and possible means of meeting those needs. CWCB, through SWSI and future efforts, will help support and/or identify solutions to these water supply needs. To help attain this goal, SWSI summarized by river basin, at a reconnaissance level, existing water supplies and demands and projected demands up to 30 years into the future, and a range of potential options to meet existing and future demands. SWSI also studied agricultural uses and non- consumptives uses such as environmental flows throughout the state. This information will allow water providers, state policy makers, and the General CDIVI 1-1 a DEPAIUMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES . i~"" l.~v.~(~& ~.. ~~, -q · (~,'r ..