Water Supply Reserve Account Criteria and Guidelines - Adopted

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SWSI Key Recommendations 1. Ongoing dialogue among all water interests is needed to help ensure wise management of Colorado's water resources. 2. Track and support identified projects and processes as they playa critical role in meeting Colorado's future M&I needs. 3. Develop a program to evaluate, quantify, and prioritize environmental and recreational water enhancement goals. 4. Work toward consensus recommendations on funding mechanisms for environmental and recreational enhancements. 5. Create a common understanding of future water supplies available for development in each basin. 6. Develop implementation plans towards meeting future water supply needs both for identified projects and processes and in areas where there are no identified plans to meet future needs. 7. Assess potential new state roles in implementing solutions. 8. Develop requirements for standardized annual M&I water use data reporting. Based on these findings and recommendations and dialogue among all water interests, CWCB identified three broad conclusions: 1) there is a need to help expedite the implementation of water management projects for all water needs; 2) projects and planning processes needed to meet Colorado's future water needs must address transfers and development of water in a manner that meets multiple interests and needs; and 3) there is strong desire for the state to provide financial assistance. These criteria and guidelines were developed based on information that the Interbasin Compact Committee (IBCC) and CWCB have learned from the SWSI and stakeholder feedback obtained during that process, input from the Basin Roundtables, and information from other important studies and programs that the CWCB has implemented and administered over the years. While the SWSI was the most comprehensive statewide water study undertaken to date the SWSI could not provide all the answers to the water resource issues that have challenged Colorado for decades; nor could it foresee all the emerging and changing needs and issues. Additional information and updating and refinement of data will be critical to ensure that we make wise resource management decisions. In 2005, to further the efforts of the SWSI and to help address water development needs in Colorado, the Colorado General Assembly passed the "Colorado Water for the 21 st Century Act" (House Bill 05-1177) which in part established permanent water roundtables in 8 river basins and the Denver metro area. Throughout these two efforts there has been a clear recognition of the need for financial assistance to address water challenges in our state. It was recognized that a new program would be needed to assist all water users in addressing their critical water supply issues and interests. This understanding led to the passage of Senate Bill 06-1 79. Water Supply Reserve Account Criteria and Guidelines - Adopted: October 18, 2006 3 of 16