DSJSMWaterSupplyandNeedsReport

• Basin Roundtable: Southwest
• Title: Water Supply and Needs Report for the Dolores/San Juan/San Miguel Basin
• Date: 6/1/2006
• Author: CDM
• Basin Roundtables - Doc Type: Needs Assessment Documents

Section 1
Introduction

It is this gap that must be filled with "new" water so to
speak. If water suppliers had the water to meet the
demand represented by this gap, there would be no gap.

The mission for the state in filling this gap should be:

Foster cooperation among water suppliers and
citizens in every water basin to examine and
implement options to fill the gap between ongoing
water planning and future water needs.

The goals of this mission are to:

1. Foster cooperation among water suppliers and
citizens in every water basin. And, because SWSI
is an initiative, work must obviously continue. The
CWCB should continue the discussions that began at
the Basin Roundtable meetings about in-basin
projects and needs. The state should also identify
and help foster the discussion about when these in-
basin plans and projects are likely to impact out-of-
basin interests, and what if anything, can be done to
mitigate, or better yet improve water resource
management and the economic, social, and
environmental conditions in both basins - keeping in
mind that if water development proceeds as planned,
these discussions focus on only 20 percent of our
long term M&I needs. These discussions must be
conducted in such a manner that our 80 percent
solutions aren't jeopardized by institutional, political,
or social rancor. Remember, we are planning to meet
water needs by 2030.

2. Examine and implement options to fill the gap
between ongoing water planning and future water
needs. SWSI did not produce a list of specific
projects to fill the 20 percent M&I gap, or provide for
environmental and recreational needs. SWSI did
identify the options, both at the conceptual and
project specific level that would most likely be
pursued to meet the gap between supply and
demand. The examination and implementation of
these options should be placed in the context of goal
number one.

3. Examine and implement options to fill the gap
associated with local agricultural shortages and
environmental and recreational enhancements.
As we move forward in addressing statewide needs,
we should look to foster multipurpose projects that

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could also satisfy M&I, environmental, and
recreational needs. These multipurpose projects will
enhance project feasibility. In addition, opportunities
for nonpermanent agricultural transfers warrant
further consideration.

Crafting new water supply alternatives to address
anticipated supply gaps will be the work of the SWSI
Basin Roundtables for Phase 2 of SWSI in those basins
where a gap exists. These alternatives can serve two
purposes - that of a new water supply project, and as an
alternative to Identified Projects and Processes that may
be unsuccessful. The options to be used as building
blocks for these water supply projects have been
presented in Section 10.

1.6 An Overview of the

Dolores/San Juan/San Miguel

Basin Water Supply and Needs

Report

This report presents the information contained in the
SWSI Report that is specific to the Dolores/San
Juan/San Miguel Basin as a starting point for the
Dolores/San Juan/San Miguel Basin Roundtable to
develop the needs assessment required by the
Interbasin Compact Process. For additional data and
discussion of analyses used in the development of the
information presented here, the reader is referred to the
SWSI Report and its appendices. The entire SWSI
Report may be found on the CWCB website at
http://cwcb.state.co. us/SWS I/index. htm.

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