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Revised: 7/26/2007 <br />Components of a Compact Negotiation Framework <br /> <br /> <br />1. Geographic Scope <br />Importance <br />Collaborative negotiations are prone to problems of scope because natural boundaries do <br />not always correspond to cultural and political boundaries. Some believe that the <br />geographic scope should mirror the hydrologic watershed because it corresponds to the <br />area that needs attention; others claim that a larger geographic scope is appropriate <br />because it can encompass broader ecological processes and political units; still others <br />believ e that a smaller geographic scope enhances the chances for success because <br />negotiations covering large areas become unwieldy. <br /> <br />Ideas/Suggestions <br />? <br /> <br />Use river basins or watersheds. <br />? <br /> <br />Focus on areas of supply and areas of demand. <br /> <br />Anticipated Course of Action <br />? <br /> <br />N egotiations will be between 9 hydrologic basins: Yampa/White/Green/ North Platte; <br />Colorado; Gunnison; Dolores/San Juan; Rio Grande; Upper South Platte; Lower South <br />Platte; Upper Arkansas; and Lower Arkansas. <br />? <br /> <br />Negotiations will take place in basin - to - basin t alks, but the focus will be on “areas of <br />supply” and “areas of demand” <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />2. Pre - Requisite Steps <br />Importance <br />Each of Colorado’s major basins could first be challenged to develop its own intrabasin <br />compact/agreement. <br /> <br />Ideas/Suggestions <br />? <br /> <br />Colorado Basin: this would involve all four water divisions within the basin. <br />? <br /> <br />South Platte and Arkansas Basins: Develop respective intrabasin plans or agreements <br />with respect to use, development, and potential transfers among their upper and lower <br />sub - basins and their municipal mid dle reaches. <br />? <br /> <br />Rio Grand Basin: Does not have analogous geographic distinctions of other basins, but <br />has begun a process to address declining aquifer levels. <br /> <br />Anticipated Course of Action <br />? <br /> <br />This process is not mutually exclusive to interbasin negotiations. <br />? <br /> <br />SWS I data and Phase II SWSI will facilitate this process. <br />? <br /> <br />Finalized intrabasin agreements will NOT be a pre - requisite for interbasin compact <br />negotiations. <br />? <br /> <br />However, intrabasin collaboration will be an integral part of the compact process. <br /> <br /> <br />1 <br />