Laserfiche WebLink
What is important to Coloradans about water management <br />+ <br />SWSI W ater Management Objectives <br />How much water Colorado will likely need in 2030 by basin <br />+ <br />Sust ainably Meet Municip al & Industrial Demands <br />6 <br />What is being done to address these needs, statewide and <br />Sust ainably Meet Agricultural Demands <br />+ <br />6 <br />within each basin <br />Optimize Existing and Future W ater Supplies <br />6 <br />Enhance Recreational Opportunities <br />How big a "gap" may exist between projected needs and <br />6 <br />+ <br />Provide for Environment al Enhancement <br />identified potential solutions <br />6 <br />Promote Cost Effectiveness <br />6 <br />How important reducing uncertainty associated with <br />+ <br />Protect Cultural V alues <br />6 <br />implementing water projects is to minimizing the shortfall <br />Provide for Operational Flexibility <br />6 <br />What additional options may be available to close the gap <br />Comply with All Applicable Laws, Regulations, and <br />+ <br />6 <br />between supply and demand <br />W ater Right s <br />In addition, we have a deeper understanding of the major <br />With these water management objectives as a foundation, <br />trends that are shaping our water use and development, <br />SWSI then examined our water needs and issues in detail. <br />including: <br />Major findings identified during this first phase of work are <br />The intent of many local providers in urban areas to transfer <br />based on technical analyses and feedback gathered through <br />+ <br />water from agricultural to municipal use, and the impact that <br />Basin Roundtable input. Even though some of these findings <br />will have on agricultural rural communities <br />are readily apparent to some, it was important that they be <br />af firmed as part of building a foundation and common <br />The importance of recreation and the environment and the <br />+ <br />understanding. Other findings were determined and/or clarified <br />impact they are having on water use and development in <br />through the SWSI process. These findings are summarized <br />the state <br />below . <br />The lack of financial and planning resources that face <br />+ <br />1. Significant increases in Colorado's population – together <br />smaller , rural providers and agricultural users <br />with agricultural water needs and an increased focus on <br />But beyond these findings, SWSI has provided another <br />recreational and environmental uses – will intensify <br />critically important function for the state – a forum for dialogue <br />competition for water . <br />focused on developing a common understanding of Colorado's <br />water issues and needs. This forum, and this dialogue, present <br />Projected <br />tremendous opportunities for Colorado; opportunities that <br />W ater <br />Estimated Demand with <br />could bear fruit long after the SWSI study has ended. It <br />W ater Level 1 Increase Increase <br />presents an opportunity to take a new approach to address <br />Demand Conservation in W ater in W ater <br />water issues in this state – an approach based on cooperation <br />In 2000 in 2030 Demand Demand <br />and collaboration, rather than litigation and conflict. <br />Basin (AF) (AF) (AF) (AF) <br />Arkansas 256,900 354,900 98,000 38% <br />Major Findings of SWSI <br />Colorado 74,100 136,000 61,900 84% <br />SWSI explored all aspects of Colorado's water use and <br />Dolores/San Juan/ 23,600 42,400 18,800 80% <br />development on both a statewide and an individual basin <br />San Miguel <br />basis. As previously mentioned, SWSI focused on in-basin <br />Gunnison 20,600 35,500 14,900 72% <br />issues first. Analysis of supply and demand at the statewide <br />North Platte 500 600 100 20% <br />level will be conducted in greater detail in 2005. Prior to <br />Rio Grande 17,400 21,700 4,300 25% <br />addressing specific water issues and solutions, SWSI first <br />South Platte 772,400 1,182,100 409,700 53% <br />explored the question: What is important to people in <br />Y ampa/White/Green 29,400 51,700 22,300 76% <br />Colorado when they consider how water should be used and <br />T OT AL 1,194,900 1,824,900 630,000 53% <br />managed? Through the SWSI process, a set of nine major <br />AF = Acre-Feet <br />Municipal & Industrial Gross W ater Demand in 2000 and 2030 <br />“water management objectives” was developed, refined, and <br />then used to evaluate general options for addressing <br />Colorado's future water needs. These water management <br />2. Projects and water management planning processes that <br />objectives are extremely important to consider when <br />local M&I providers are implementing or planning to <br />developing water supply solutions. W ater management <br />implement have the ability to meet about 80 percent of <br />solutions that meet multiple objectives are far more likely to <br />Colorado's Municipal and Industrial (M&I) water needs <br />enjoy the support of multiple interest groups and in turn have a <br />through 2030. <br />higher likelihood of being successfully implemented. <br />