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Executive Summary <br />engineering and legal analysis that is required for <br />successful implementation of a new storage project. The <br />cost per AF of storage can exceed $5,000 per AF for a <br />reservoir of less than 500 AF total storage capacity while <br />a reservoir of greater than 100,000 AF can potentially be <br />constructed at a cost of $1,500 or less per AF of storage <br />capacity. Figure ES-21 shows a generalized cost per AF <br />of storage for various reservoir sizes. <br />Loans for water supply development for smaller and rural <br />water providers and agricultural users are available from <br />the Colorado Water Conservation Board. However, in <br />order to secure a loan, the borrower must demonstrate <br />the financial ability to repay the loan. As noted, water <br />development costs for smaller and rural water providers <br />and small agricultural firming storage projects can be <br />significantly higher per AF of firm yield developed. In <br />addition to these higher unit costs, many smaller water <br />providers and agricultural users may not have the <br />existing and projected revenue base to make the loan <br />payments and/or may lack sufficient collateral. <br />Agricultural users cannot pay the current costs for water <br />supply development and smaller and rural water <br />providers may not have the tax or revenue base to pay <br />the higher unit costs. During the SWSI process, <br />agricultural and smaller and rural water providers have <br />expressed the desire to have non-repayable grants <br />available to help defray some of the out of pocket costs <br />so that water supply firming and development needs can <br />be met. <br />10. Beyond 2030, Growth Will Continue, and <br />Additional Solutions Will Be Required <br />Beyond 2030 growth will continue and additional <br />solutions will be required. sa,ooo <br />^ Growth and the need for water will continue $~,ooo <br />beyond 2030 ss,ooo <br /> <br />^ Very few providers have identified projects to LL <br />a$s,ooo <br />meet demands beyond 2030 ~ sa,ooo <br /> <br />^ There is very little long range planning for these ~ <br />a$3,000 <br />needs beyond 2030 $z,ooo <br />^ Unless additional supplies are identified in the s~,ooo <br />Arkansas Basin, South Platte Basin, and many $_ <br />headwaters communities, additional agricultural <br />water in these basins will be transferred to M&I <br />use <br />~~ <br />^ In order for new solutions to have a higher likelihood <br />of success, they will need to address multiple needs <br />Traditional uses of water in Colorado are changing as a <br />result of population growth, urbanization, and increased <br />environmental and recreational uses for water. During <br />the SWSI public comment process, this point was stated <br />by many interest groups who were calling for SWSI to be <br />used as a forum to debate growth. Historically, <br />throughout the west and in Colorado, the availability of <br />water does not fuel growth nor does the limitation on <br />water supply limit growth. Some of the fastest growing <br />population centers across the west are also where water <br />is the least plentiful. A vital part of the Colorado system <br />of prior appropriation allows water to be moved from <br />where it originates to where it is put to beneficial use. <br />Traditional water providers such as municipal and special <br />district water utilities and water conservancy districts do <br />not have the ability nor the responsibility to control <br />growth on a regional or basinwide level. These entities <br />are responsible for providing a reliable, safe, and <br />affordable water supply for the needs of their existing <br />and future customers or constituents. Growth planning is <br />a multi-jurisdictional and complex process with land use <br />decisions generally made at the municipal, county, and <br />regional level of government. Growth restrictions in one <br />jurisdiction have historically resulted in increased growth <br />in surrounding areas. It is beyond the scope of this <br />project to attempt to control future water needs through <br />growth controls. This project, however, looks at the <br />reasonable levels of water demands that can be <br />projected using the State Demographer's population <br />projections. <br />Figure ES-21 <br />Generalized Unit Costs for New Storage <br />Based on Total Reservoir Size <br />~J~~a <br />Statew~itle Water Supply Inii'iative <br />ES-42 S:\REPORT\WORD PROCESSING\REPORT\EXEC SUMMARY 11-10-04.DOC <br />5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 <br />Total Reservoir Size, AF <br />