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<br />uUL. 1'- V'- 11\1 l' '-IU <br /> <br />1..11'/1\1\1 <br /> <br />rH^ NU. ~IUq~llOjb <br /> <br />t'. U ( <br /> <br />000636 <br /> <br />d. Cost of future water development: If a large portion of <br />the water rights of a particular area are purchased and <br />exported, there mayor may not be alternative sources of <br />water that can be developed economically for the area-of- <br />origin. Whether the cost of developing the sources is <br />feasible must take into consideration the economic survival <br />of the area after the transfer takes place. The tax base, <br />includi.ng both taxable property and taxable income of the <br />residents, must remain strong enough to support the <br />development of new wat~r resources, assumin9 there are such <br />sources to be tapped. <br /> <br />social <br /> <br />a. Declining rural lifestyle: The removal of timber and <br />mine.rals from an area can provide a continuing source of <br />jobs, income, and taxes. The removal of water, however, <br />does not typically have the same effect. On the other hand, <br />over two-thirds of Colorado's popUlation lives in urbanized <br />areas, where water imports can generate jobs in eXCess of <br />those lost in the ~~orting area. A cost-benefit analysis <br />of a particular transfer of water from one area to another <br />may show more jobs created in the area-at-need than lost in <br />the area-of-origin as a result of the transfer. <br /> <br />In addition, the percentage of the populace invol~ed in <br />agriculture, and those living in rural areas, has been <br />aeclining for so~e time and began that decline before the <br />purchase of agricultural ~ater rights for urban use beca~e <br />much used. How much Of the deoline is or will be <br />attributable to water transfers would require extensive <br />analysis. . <br /> <br />Environmental: Mixed Impacts <br /> <br />The current state of the art is not sufficient to have a <br />single list of criteria of water quality issues to apply to every <br />circumstance. The environmental impact of each transfer .ust be <br />specifically studied. The gathering and analyzing of site- <br />specific data increases the cost of the transfer. The following <br />examples are illustrative. ' <br /> <br />It water is used for irrigation, the flow returning to the <br />stream may carry with it p~sticide and fertilizer residue, in <br />addition to salts accumulated as it percolates throuqh the soil. <br />If the consumptively used portion of the water is transferred, <br />th.e remaining flow will be 'less saline and will increase the <br />dilution ability of the wa~er flowing in the stream. However, if <br />water currently flowing downstream from Colorado to other states <br />is appropriated and used w!tbl~ Colorado, the dilution capacity <br />of th~ water flowin9 out of state is reduced. The water left in <br />the stream after transferrfn~ the consumptively used wa"ter may be <br /> <br />13 <br />