2007 Annual Report - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

w q` ~ ~ r ~'. i ~ 'A ~ ~ ~ ~.~ .f u ~ . ~ a p {i"_aid+ d.:[pL~~1t;'t1~.~ ~~ ~~1~I~~.!59PIt;: ~.~F: ~'. i I4 I ' ~~ ~1~f 4~' A *J~ d._• 1~:~4~[_11~:L:L:S De~ineate a Process for Decis~onmaking Through the SW51 process, a set of nine major "water management objectives" were developed, refined, and then used to evaluate options for addressing Colorado's future water needs. These objectives represent the overarching interests in water management - they define major goals of water users in clear, understandable terms. These objectives should be used in decisionmaking to move stakeholders towards common ground for developing future water supply alternatives. Strategy for Non-consumptive Needs Assessment Each Basin Roundtable will develop a non- consumptive needs assessment (NCNA) under the Interbasin Compact Process. Participants of this statewide work group will assist the roundtables and IBCC as this process moves forward. Following is the strategy proposed for moving forward. Goals The goals of this process with the Basin Roundtables and NCNA Work Group are to: • Identify priority areas and reaches for environmental and recreational attributes based on existing data • Identify the quantities of seasonal flows necessary to maintain priority areas and reaches, to the extent possible with existing data, based on agreed-upon methodologies • Outreach to interested parties about the existence of the products of this effort so that parties can use the information developed in other water planning efforts ~ W ~ Build Upon Establish ~ ~ Attributes Priorities ~ a Where Do Site-Specific We Need Quantification ~~ o Quantification ine Q characterization~ ~ ~ ~ z ~ a Templates o~ (Coarse Characterization) Methodology The methodology for completing the NCNA focuses on a two step process for evaluating non- consumptive needs - prioritization and quantification (illustrated in the figure below). Following provides information on the steps and their components. Pr~oritization Bui~d Upon Attributes: Over the next several months, the NCNA Work Group will ask each Basin Roundtable to review and comment on the GIS coverages of environmental and recreational attributes compiled during SWSI Phase 2, as well as to suggest development of additional, important GIS coverages and data layers specifically for their basi n. Estab~ishing Priorities: Once Basin Roundtables have identified the data layers that contain important non-consumptive attributes for their basins, they will establish priorities. A basin's priorities will be based on both local and state information. In addition, basin roundtable members will be able to consider whether and how to prioritize a reach or area. Quantif~cation Where do we need quantification ~• The work group will develop criteria to help evaluate the need for quantification in priority reaches. The "triage" process will begin with the prioritized reaches and areas. Roundtables will consider the condition of the reach or area as well as its existing status or land use protection. Based on this evaluation, the roundtable will decide if it would be appropriate to perform a quantification. Temp/ates (Coarse Characterization); The CDM Technical Team will develop approximately 10 templates for Colorado stream and river types i(e.g., high mountain headwaters, ephemeral M desert washes, etc. ) based on gross differences P in hydrology and function. The template would E provide a model hydrograph as well as specify M which components of the hydrograph are E important for specific ecological and recreational N T attributes. A T Site-Specific Quantification (Fine ~ Characterization): Based on the "triage" or 0 N where priority reaches warrant site-specific quantification, the CDM Technical Team will use the appropriate general template from the coarse characterization and apply it to the specific river reach (mainstem and significant tributaries) using existing data regarding flow and function. -4-