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<br />.- <br /> <br />Critical Policy Issues for Oil Shale Development 51 <br /> <br />power, growing recreational use, and increased efforts to maintain and restore the <br />river's ecosystems. In recent years, water availability has become particularly acute, <br />stemming from an extended drought and the subsequent drawdown of reservoirs. <br />Significant water withdrawals to supply the oil shale industry may conflict with other <br />uses downstream and may also exacerbate salinity problems. Such demands and pres- <br />sures are expected to continue to grow for the foreseeable future, thereby rendering <br />earlier data and analyses regarding oil shale developmem out of date. <br />Opportunities for Action. Given the long lead rimes involved in funding and <br />permitting water-related projects, the constraints in water availability and infrastruc- <br />rure need to be addressed fairly early in planning for the development of oil shale <br />resources. Once commercial interests are clear and technology choices become better <br />defined, water availability for oil shale resource development should be analyzed in <br />light of current and projected demands in the upper and lower Colorado River <br />Basins. <br />