MetroSouthPlatteInterimBasinWaterSupplyNeedsReport ‎(2)‎

• Basin Roundtable: South Platte
• Additional Roundtables: Metro
• Title: Water Supply & Needs Report for the South Platte and Metro Basins
• Date: 6/1/2006
• Author: CDM, CWCB, DNR
• Basin Roundtables - Doc Type: Needs Assessment Documents

Section 2
Statewide Demographic, Economic, and Social Setting

--

Additional detail regarding the population projections and
their use in developing estimates of future water use is
included in Section 5.

2.1.2 Additional Demographic
Information

Historical demographic data are compiled by DOLA and
the U.S. Census Bureau. Beyond basic population
figures, demographic factors influence the rates and
patterns of water use. To characterize recent trends and
current conditions, the following data were examined for
Colorado, and where available data allowed, aggregated
on a major river basin basis:

. Households and family size
. Age
. Employment
. Median household income

Table 2-2 summarizes current (2000) conditions and
changes in the number of households, housing units, and
families. While Colorado's population increased from
1990 to 2000 by about 31 percent, the number of
households, families, and housing units increased at
slightly lower rates, indicating an increase in the average
household and family size.

Table 2-2 Statewide Demographic Trends 1990 to 2000

. . . - - ~~II '.l11l!1 _ttlt:'II'[~
Total households I 1,282,489 I 1,658,238 29.3%
Total housing units 1,477,349 1,808,037 22.4%
Total families I 854,214 I 1,084,461 27.0%
Average household 2.51 2.53 0.9%
size
Average family size I 3.07 I 3.09 0.7%

Source: Colorado DOLA Profile of General Demographic
Characteristics 1990-2000

Trends in the age of Colorado's population were also
evident in the 1990s, as indicated in Figure 2-1. These
data suggest that the state's population follows the
national trend of an aging populace as the "baby
boomers" advance in age and average life expectancies
increase. This in turn could have implications on water
use patterns as they relate to movement to multi-unit
dwellings, changes in recreational activities, and
associated water use quantities and patterns.

CONI

2-2

90%

80%

_ Population increase
1990-2000

70%

- Average for all age
groups

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

~ q ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
o ~ 6 ~ 6 ~ ~ ~ ~ 6 ~ ~ ro
~ ~ N N ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Source: Colorado DOLA Profile of General Demographic
Characteristics 1990-2000
Figure 2-1
Colorado Population Increase by Age Group,
1990-2000

Colorado's economy is dependent on a diverse set of
employment sectors. In 2000, about 2.2 million civilians
over the age of 16 were employed in the state. County-
level DOLA employment data for 2000 were aggregated
into major basins. The South Platte Basin including the
Denver/South Metro Counties makes up over 70 percent
of the State's total employment. Table 2-3, below, shows
employment in the South Platte Basin as a whole by
industry.

Table 2-3 2000 Employment by Industry as a Percentage of
Total Jobs in the South Platte Basin Including the
Denver/South Metro Counties

Agriculture, Forestry, Hunting &
Mining
Construction
Man ufacturing
Wholesale Trade
Retail Trade
Transportation, Warehousing, and
Utilities
Information
Finance, Insurance, & Real
Estate
Professional, Scientific,
Management, and Administrative
Education, Health, and Social
Services
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation,
Lodg~g and Food Services
Other Services
Public Administration
Total

8%
10%
4%
11%

5%
6%

8%

13%

17%

8%

5%
4%
100%

S:\1177\Basin Reports\South Platte\S2_South Platte.doc