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What is our “ v ision” for Rio Grande Basin - what do we see as the future u ses for water <br />in our basin — ag, M &I, recr eation, environment? Mix? <br />1) Needs projections <br />Rio Grande Population Projections - by county and overall - between 2000 and 2030 - <br />35% increase expected <br />Extrapolated to water needs - approx 4500 AF gross diversions more needed for muni <br />and industria l - co nsumptive use 35% . <br /> <br />2) Projects and Processes that local M&I Providers are implementing or planning to <br />imple men t have ability to meet 80% of projected needs . <br /> <br />3) If identified project s in #2 are not successfully implemented, Colorado c ould see a <br />significan tly greater reduction in irrigated ag lands . <br /> <br /> - p rojected change betw een 60 to 100,000 acres reduced ag land mostly due to <br />exis ting over - use in SLV <br /> - in other basins, purchase of water for change in use is driver <br /> - u rbanization of ag land is rapid on We st Slope <br /> <br />4) Supplies are not necessarily where/when d emands are : <br /> - charts of various water flows by basin <br /> <br />5) Conflicts over use of groundwater are increasing <br /> - Front Range growth is based on increased reliance on nonrenewable, non - <br /> tributary groundw ater for permanent water supply <br /> - SLV aquifer uses <br /> <br />6) I n basin solutions can help resolve gaps between M&I supply and demand, but there <br />wi ll be tradeoffs and impacts on o ther uses <br /> Options: <br /> - conservation <br /> - reuse <br /> - a g transfers <br /> - n ew storage <br /> Mul tiple solutions wi l l be needed <br /> Multi purpose solutions will get most support <br /> <br />7 ) Water conservation will be relied on as a major tool for meeting future M&I demands, <br />but conservation alone cannot meet all of Colorado’s future needs <br /> <br />8) Without a mechanism to fund environment al and recreational enhanc ement, conflicts <br />among intere s t s will likely intensify <br /> <br />9) The ability of smaller, rural water provi ders and ag water users to adequately address <br />their existing and future water needs is significantly limited b y their financial resources <br /> <br /> Page 3 of 6 RGBRT Minutes <br /> <br /> May 9 , 2006 <br />