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<br />JUL-ll::'-UC. rru l'<iU <br /> <br />\.JWKKl <br /> <br />I'HX NU. ~ (U4~1 Hjjt::i <br /> <br />P. 06 <br /> <br />Oil062G <br /> <br />~his evolving public value W~~l: inQ~~asingly have to be accounted <br />for in the decisions ot wat~r.~anaqe~s in Colorado. <br /> <br />',. . . " ":,z... ....,.. '~"::."'''''''''~'lI..'''' <br /> <br />..: ::Ques~:irin~:~ .:.:Hbw::':'c~k.J1~'sa. "evo.ttiriq e~vir~n" <br />. ::mental;'. : and. .:.t.eia:tecl"" w.ater, value.s be' measured? <br />:.::IS publ'ic. "interest. su'fficien:l:. . ..to "wa:rt'arl'~.. :. .. <br />developin9 .ways ~o incorporate this 'concern <br />into water allocation decision ma~ing? If so, <br />.how can it be incorporated? <br /> <br />'1 '~*,I_""",_-"" <br /> <br />DiQR.J;;,-M.nI$i JTE!1D~ <br /> <br />Urbi1.11 Nee4s <br /> <br />The controversy over water transf~rs is largely driven by <br />urban needs. 72.18 percent of Colorado.s residents live in <br />urbanized areas.1 75.64 percent live in places having 10,000 or <br />more people. Towns and cities must meet current needs, plan for <br />future population growth a~~ ~~ prepared for times of drought. <br /> <br />Wa'ter supplies for municipal use, including domestic, <br />commercial, and irrigation, generally are supplied by city water <br />departments or by special water districts. Because cities must <br />plan for population growth and development, the courts have <br />allowed cities to appropriate more water than necessary for ~heir <br />immediate needs.2 This is referred to as the hGreat and Growing <br />Cities Doctrine." <br /> <br />In addition to population growth, cities must be able to meet <br />their residents' water needs in time of drought. Adequate water <br />supplies must be established. <br /> <br />Conflicts Among Uses <br /> <br />Recreational, environmental, agricultural and other needs <br />have strong seasonal preferences for volume, time of year, and <br />duration of instream flows, many of which conflict. Late summer <br />reservoir releases may extend the rafting season and increase the <br />tourist industry's income, but farmers need the releases earlier <br />i.n the year for their crops. In addition, releases of water that <br />are significantly different than the natural seasonal rlows of <br />the river affect the river1s aquatic and riparian communities. <br /> <br />Furthermore, recreational usos made possible by the transfer <br />o,f ~at.er may benefit large ~~u!t\Rers,.or pe~le while ne9ati~ely <br />impacting the area of orI91n~ Over two-thirds of Colorado.s <br />residents are urban dwellers, the majority of them living in <br />Front Range cities. Many of Colorado's tourist attractions <br />involve recreational use of water, and instate urban dwellers <br /> <br />3 <br />