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<br />Comments to SWSI, November 3, 2003, by John Wiener <br /> <br />3 <br /> <br /><http://wwwJds.colostate.edu/projects/spmappresentation/>). The only problem I see with this ;s <br />that isn't enough work Uke this being done allover! <br /> <br />OBJECTIVE 5 - Support recreational needs <br /> <br />A. This shourd explicitly note both intangible recreational values as fundamentaf to <br />quality of fife (see comment below on urban amenity varues and agricultural legacy) and should <br />also note tangible benefits. These include both increased reaf estate varue from proximity to <br />amenities and recreational opportunity~ for local people, and tourism and visitor recreation as <br />welt The enormous value of in..comlng tourism is widely appreciated; one hears a variety of <br />numbers, but 10 to 12 BiUion per year seems possible, depending on the scope of what is <br />counted. One other figure from USDA was almost $100 Billion, nationaUy, for a few kinds of <br />outdoor recreation (see below), but there is little standardization in measures. This does notf <br />however; count the benefits to local people, and it does not count the benefits from people retiring <br />in a place because they Uke it, or building second homes in a place they Iike4 This is a huge <br />contributor to rural growth, and should be considered essential for future economic deve'opment <br />in Cororadots non-metro area (see berow). <br /> <br />B. Why not money for flow tjmingt since it was mentioned at one of the meetings? Why <br />isn't recreation buying the timing it wants? And why isn-t agricufture selling timing? If you switch <br />crops from corn to alfaJfa in order to schedule flows when the rafters can sell rides, the farmer <br />loses the difference in revenue between corn and alfalfat and rafter gains ability to plan for higher <br />flows during weekends and hoUdays. Predictabifity has value - maybe reservations can be sold <br />ahead of time if it is sure that the water wUI be right. <br /> <br />According to CSU enterprise budgets, for 2000, Northeastern CO, net receipts for jrrigated alfalfa <br />were $150 per acreJ but In 2000 irrigated corn grain in Northeastern CO lost $45 per acre, or lost <br />$61 per acre in the South Platte Valrey, though dryland no-till corn made $101 per acre. And, <br />sweet corn as a vegetabre for humans made $2068 per acre4 The sweet corn grower wourd <br />presumabJy have no interest in switching to affaUa, but the corn grain grower might have <br />benefited from switching to alfalfa plus payments for water deUvery timing. The costs and <br />revenues for the rafting business are not reported as the agricultural generic information iSJ so it <br />is not easUy estimable how much benefit that industry could achieve from reorganized flows such <br />that high water occurred on weekendst but perhaps the Roundtable representatives could supply <br />some insight into how much capacity is on hand and unused. Also, it is unknown if advertising <br />the high water would help use aU the available capacity, and perhaps there could be some <br />comment on that. There would be some limits on the manipulation of flows, clearly, for reasons <br />of capacity to manage, in aU parts of the system, as well as maintenance of the minimum trows <br />needed, but testimony by raftjng business people in other for a (e.g. Puebfo recreational in- <br />channel flow application to eWeB) suggests that demand for rafting and kayaking is sensitive to <br />th e flow conditions. <br /> <br />OBJECrrVE 6 - Provide for environmentar protection <br /> <br />Why not add a subhead on fostering and enhancing environmental improvement projects? The <br />modification of the environment of Colorado is ubiquitous, and in some cases very destructive of <br />present jnterests and preferences (see Baron, J., Ed.. Rockv Mountain Futures. 2002, fsland <br />Press)4 The value of environmental qualifies is usuarly assumed to be roughly correspondent to <br />the artitudet with ski areas wanting to 'oak as if they harbor a pristine environment, and fower- <br />artilude farming and ranching areas are assumed to be contemptuous of non..commerciaf <br />spec;es4 This caricature does no justice at all to the stewards of the majority of the land. and <br />ignores the critical vaJue of the environmental amenities which are driving rural growth and wiU <br />play an increasing role in the future. <br />