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<br />John Wiener, Comments to SWSI, September 2004 <br /> <br />5 <br /> <br />commercially managed. either. So, the change in land management, ditch ownership and <br />interests in the potential transfer of water and viability of domestic well supplies are not what they <br />used to be. <br /> <br />This in turn means that some new uses are physically likely to be more vulnerable to drought, <br />being small wells that may be dependent on return flows for groundwater recharge, and also <br />economically less vulnerable if they are owned by wealthy enthusiasts for rural living. Local <br />outcomes may depend on how well these operations integrate with local commercial agriculture <br />and local water management. It is. in any case, unlikely that they would be pleased to lose <br />investment value or the charms acquired due to regional water changes, and unlikely that they <br />would not wish to participate in decision-making. Earlier comments (Wiener November 2003 to <br />SWSI) have discussed the importance of water as an amenity for small towns seeking growth; <br />this is yet another wrinkle. <br /> <br />And, the changing nature of agriculture cannot be mentioned with noting also the shift to high- <br />intensity organics and directs sales, and the potential impacts of climate variation and change, <br />particularly in the Eastern Plains and intermountain West (also described in November 2003 <br />comments). <br /> <br />Figure 1: Housing <br />Density Change <br />1 960 - 2050 <br />(Tom Dickinson, C.U. <br />Center for American <br />West, and IBS Social <br />Sciences Data Analysis <br />Center) -- Note: map <br />distortion from transfer to <br />this form, not source of <br />map. <br /> <br /> <br />