Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Detailed Scope of Work <br />Water Needs Assessment for the Yampa/White and Colorado <br />River Basins <br />Purpose <br />This det ailed scope of work outlines an approach to assess the water demands needed to <br />support the development of energy in Colorado, specifically within the Yampa/White and <br />Colorado River Basins. A need to quantify the amount of water needed to support the <br />development of the available energy resources was identified through the roundtables created <br />st <br />as part of the House Bill 05 - 1177, the Colorado Water for the 21 Century Act process. The <br />proposed study will provide a management and analytical framework, a guide, from which <br />the demands can be estimated, supply sources can be identified, and cooperative management <br />arrangements identified and outlined. The study will not provide a detailed analysis of the <br />total energy development demand/supply situation. However, guidance is needed now for <br />the State, local area water supply and development review agencies to evaluate the regional <br />water supply hydrologic im pacts of energy development. Although there have been several <br />documents, articles, and research studies conducted to assess various, individual components <br />of this need, none have attempted to put the various scenarios into a usable tool for planning <br />purpo ses. In addition, current government and industry studies may be reviewed for <br />adequacy which will lead to the development of future technical, legislative, and financial <br />plans. <br />Background <br />“Energy development” includes the following interrelated activities : extraction and <br />development of oil/natural gas, coal, and oil shale; municipal demands resulting from the <br />socio - economic impacts of direct/indirect industry workers and, subsequent, multiplied <br />impacts; and electrical generation to serve these energy extr action industries . It is recognized <br />that energy development has impacts beyond the Yampa/White and Colorado River Basins in <br />Colorado. <br /> <br />Recent studie s have indicated that the Green River Formation in Colorado may contain <br />approximately 1.5 to 1.8 trillion b arrels of recoverable oil (as represented by the combined <br />gas and kerogen BTU equivalent). This is in addition to the other forms of available energy <br />such as crude oil, natural gas, and coal. The global demand for this energy is increasing and <br />the natura l resources available in the Green River Formation, specifically the Yampa/White <br />and Colorado River Basins , are vast and relatively untapped. These resources are extracted <br />through a number of different methods such as liquefaction, in - situ extraction, oil sand <br />mining, and coal gasification, to name a few. Along with the demand to utilize this energy, <br />is the need for water to support the extraction and processing of the resources. The <br />Statewide Water Supply Initiative (SWSI), a process which quantified t he demands and <br />- 1 - <br /> <br />