Arkansas Basin_Water Supply and Needs

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Section 5 Projected Water Use in the Arkansas Basin Table 5-8 Current and Range of Potential 2030 Agricultural Demands (AFY) Incidental Losses + Irrigation Water Water Supply Stock Pond Basin Irrigated Acres Requirement (IWR) Limited (WSL) Evaporation Gross Diversions Current: Arkansas 405,000 748,000 619,000 69,000 1,770,000 Colorado 238,000 366,000 319,000 36,000 1,764,000 Dolores/San Juan/San Miguel 255,000 370,000 294,000 33,000 953,000 Gunnison 264,000 473,000 396,000 44,000 1,705,000 North Platte 116,000 96,000 96,000 11,000 397,000 Rio Grande 633,000 1,108,000 776,000 87,000 1,660,000 South Platte 1,027,000 1,798,000 1,541,000 173,000 2,606,000 Yampa/White/Green 118,000 138,000 123,000 14,000 642,000 STATE TOTAL 3,056,000 5,097,000 4,164,000 467,000 11,497,000 2030 Projections: Arkansas 333,000-382,000 616,000- 707,000 510,000-584,000 57,000 - 65,000 1,457,000-1,670,000 Colorado 222,000-230,000 342,000-354,000 298,000-309,000 33,000 - 35,000 1,644,000-1,706,000 Dolores/San Juan/San Miguel 252,000-259,000 368,000-373,000 292,000-296,000 33,000 - 33,000 948,000-962,000 Gunnison 254,000-261,000 455,000-468,000 381,000-392,000 43,000 - 44,000 1,640,000-1,689,000 North Platte 116,000 116,000 96,000 11,000 397,000 Rio Grande 533,000-573,000 932,000-1,003,000 653,000-703,000 73,000-79,000 1,398,000-1,503,009 South Platte 801,000-894,000 1,402,000-1,565,000 1,202,000-1,342,000 135,000-150,000 2,033,000-2,269,000 Yampa/White/Green 116,000-158,000 135,000-183,000 120,000-163,000 13,000-18,000 627,000-852,000 STATE TOTAL 2,726,000-2,932,000 4,366,000-4,769,000 3,552,000-3,885,000 398,000-435,000 10,144,000-11,048,000 Second, the lack of available physical supply can also be a factor that contributes to the calculation of water shortage. For example, a ranch may irrigate hay meadows from a number of small streams running through the ranch. These small streams will normally dry up in late summer, resulting in a lack of available supply even though the water right may be in priority. Additional water supplies could be put to beneficial use if water were available. Shortages as a result of the priority of water rights and the lack of physical supply could potentially be red uced if add itional storage were developed to supplement existing supplies. A third factor that contributes to water shortage calculations results from irrigation practices. These calculated shortages are attributable to farming operational practices, where farmers choose to cease irrigation before the end of the growing season. In other words, the shortages are by choice rather than due to water availability. For example, irrigation may cease for the season in late July or early August, even though water supplies may be available. This is to allow hay to be cut, dried, and baled. The theoretical need for water remains, and additional application of water would result in additional CU. This type of water shortage cannot be reduced through additional water supplies and has not been further evaluated. DRAFT o :\SHAWN\ARKANSAS\S5 _ARKANSAS. DOC Figure 5-10 shows those basins that have been determined to have significant water shortages as described above. Based on the prevalence of calls throughout the entire Arkansas Basin, even during average year streamflow conditions, widespread agricultural water shortages can be expected. Generally, the cost of water development exceeds the ability of agriculture to pay for the development of additional water supplies. As a result, it may not be practical or cost-effective to attempt to develop water 21, ~ 1 22;:" 24 ~ Stream~ C3 Non.D:SS ea~in~ with /'nl:i<:iproCtJ '^\t;je~pro~ AQrkiYllural mw ~$ · Ci~s ~ ~:i:; g::::~ :.:::: ~r:~~~I\:~:: :::: :~~~ C3 Ri~'ef ~irrs C3 'MIler Oi$l;ri:t with P'O$$ible- A~l,Illl,Jr;)l W<jl~ShOr1(tgM 6(; r ~ ~~tI~..~ Figure 5-10 Summary of Agricultural Water Shortages by Water District CDIVI 5-11