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<br />Comments to SWSt, November 3,2003, by John Wiener <br /> <br />17 <br /> <br />. Loss of prairie wetlands and potholes is expected to impact waterfowl and wirdlife habitats; <br />perhaps creating premium on remaining conserved habitats and riparian wetlands? Can this <br />increased value be useful for rural and agricultural interests? <br /> <br />. Greater number of droughts and floods, with extremes affecting all water uses. Water <br />distribution systems, including irrigation ditches, may be more vu'nerable to flash floods and <br />to sedimentation problems from overland fJows. <br /> <br />. Greater proportion of precipjtation in form of intense rainfaUs and therefore increased impacts <br />on soils, and changes in sedimentation, susceptibility to wind erosion, and potential changes <br />in vegetation present or advantaged by different conditions (invasives species?)" And, <br />implications for non..point ponution and run...off from agricufture and rangelands? <br /> <br />. Disproportionate stress on family/small farms and ranches due to different and lesser <br />capitalization than Jarge agricultural businesses (best discussion of this in Ojima et al. Great <br />PJains Assessment: some discussion in Rainy et af,. 2001 Agriculture Sector report) <br /> <br />. U4S. Agriculture as a whole is predicted to be increased in total productivity, which will not <br />hefp Colorado (or non-California West) agricuJture become more competitive.- in fact, <br />perhaps another push toward being ress competitive as local conditions worsen white general <br />production increases? <br /> <br />. Forest changes along with weather and cUmate changes may affect recreational opportunity <br />adversely in some ways and favorably in other ways, perhaps creating new opportunjties or <br />demands for other competing recreational destinations. The same pressure or opportunity <br />may arise from changes in fire behavior or changes in the forests at higher altitudes which <br />make them less attractive. <br /> <br />These are a highly generalized set of notes, and againJ there is a very serious <br />question as to how these influences would play out in any given place even if <br />they are correctly forecast. The forecast accuracy is not easily judged, either, <br />though responsibre critics have made some important points, such as those by <br />Dr. Pielke Sr. and his cofleagues, as noted above at this beginning of this point. <br />So, right now, uncertainty is certain, but the additional stresses which the SWSI <br />process will reconsider and develop, in the supply and demand studies, are <br />going to interact with the climate variability somehow. Therefore, conservative <br />judgement seems very important - keep all the pieces, keep the options open1 <br />and avoid putting all the eggs in one ba$ket~ The critical link of these concerns to <br />those noted for the agricultural and rural economies must surely suggest the <br />wisdom of maintaining a strong rural economy and a living farming and ranching <br />economYJ for everyone's benefit - from the urban and rural human populations to <br />the qualities they value. <br /> <br />Appendix: A plea for eng i neerjn 9 support.. ~ <br />