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state. The Drought Survey 2000 water use data totals by basin are below the <br />preliminary SWSI M&I estimates for 2000 for each basin. <br />The USGS preliminary estimates of 2000 M&I water use in Colorado were <br />obtained. The total USGS estimate is 1.216 million acre-feet for 2000 <br />compared to the SWSI preliminary estimate of 2000 water use of 1.195 <br />million acre-feet. The USGS estimates by county, when aggregated by basin, <br />provide basin estimates that are lower than the SWSI estimated 2000 water <br />demand for some basins while higher in others. <br />A number of independent water demand studies from entities throughout <br />the state were reviewed. These demand studies are listed in Appendix D. <br />Many of these independent studies provided estimates of future increases in <br />water demands without documenting the base year demand. Thus, a <br />comparison of base year, or total water demand estimates is not possible. To <br />the extent possible, one study was selected to represent each basin as shown <br />in Table 12. Few of the selected studies covered entire basins and many <br />studies had base years other than 2000. Given these differences, one would <br />expect that the SWSI water demand estimates would exceed the base year <br />water demand estimates from the selected independent studies. One study, <br />that conducted by the Colorado Farm Bureau in 1996 provided a statewide <br />estimate of water demand of 1.0 million acre-feet for the year 2000. <br />28 IV. Preliminary SWSI Water Demand Estimates <br />