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Comments to SWSJ, November 3, 2003, by John Wiener Memorandum to SWSI; C/O CWCB, Mr. Rick Brown, and COM Inc., Attn: Mr. Kelly DiNatale Regarding comments on objectives and criteria, SWSI Process From John Wiener (writing solely as an individual) November 3, 2003 This memo is to provide notes on points raised or suggested by the earlier meetings, in hope that these may be useful for the forthcoming proceedings. It is expected that few of the participants in the process have the leisure to browse the literature cited, but it seems preferable to increase access rather than make assertions about what it says without providing a fair chance to see it. Since the issue of climate and drought was forcefully raised by John Henz, I have included some notes from the drought, climate variability and change literature. I believe it is important that the practical implication is one that Should have "no regrets" regardless of the way things turn out- that is, to cope with what we now understand to be a larger range of variability than we've recently experienced, and to "save all the pieces" of our water distribution systems. That dovetails with the under-appreciated importance of preserving agricultural water supply systems and carefully considering the public values and benefits of the so-called "inefficiencies" in water distribution. The ultimate outcomes of the statewide water supply initiative must inevitably address and influence the distribution systems being supplied. These comments include: Comments Regarding Objectives list as of South Platte Roundtable Meeting Small acreages as a factor in hay, feed and water demand Urban amenity values and the agricultural legacy Agricultural efficiency and environmental values The problem of rural sustainability and agricultural viability What about the climate? Practical considerations raised by drought history, claims of increased climate variability and change: background relevant to issues raised What practical advice, if any, can be drawn from the climate variability literature? A little background on the "climate impacts" literature Reports on Colorado places and sectors Drought and the p~st variability The climate impacts concerns And, a memorandum: The Irrigation Efficiency Problem For Water Banking, other Agriculture to Municipality Transfers and "Saved or Salvaged Water" Legislation Comments Regarding Objectives list as of South Platte Roundtable Meeting: Objective 1 - Reliably meet demands. A. Predictability versus reliability. The critical quality for water supply is predictability, of either water or a substitute, because that warrants investment (by a homebuyer paying a tap fee or by a farm or firm considering facilities acquisition). The reliability of water supply for some purposes, such as domestic or culinary consumption, is not subject to substitution, but many business activities are. The business activity can almost always accept a substitute (money) in place of performing as usual. It will be important to make use of this in the future. Currently, the value of a water right is based on its predictability, which is called its seniority under the prior appropriation system. B. Plan A, Plan B and Plan C: a predictability example, in response to a roundtable discussion about the reliability idea. If there are adequate plans laid, certainty can have a high value even if there is error. In Colorado water management, in particular, a farm that leases some of its water to a city under a competent and careful contract will be fully compensated for lost crops, and all expenses, regardless of what the weather does and regardless of what the city does with the water. The city, similarly, will have made arrangements to provide unused water to