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Section 5 Projected Water Use Second, the lack of available physical supply can also be a factor that contributes to the calculation of water shortage. For example, a ranch may irrigate hay meadows from a number of small streams running through the ranch. These small streams will normally dry up in late summer, resulting in a lack of available supply even though the water right may be in priority. Additional water supplies could be put to beneficial use if water were available. Shortages as a result of the priority of water rights and the lack of physical supply could potentially be reduced if additional storage were developed to supplement existing supplies. A third factor that contributes to water shortage calculations results from irrigation practices. These calculated shortages are attributable to farming operational practices, where farmers choose to cease irrigation before the end of the growing season. In other words, the shortages are by choice rather than due to water availability. For example, irrigation may cease for the season in late July or early August, even though water supplies may be available. This is to allow hay to be cut, dried, and baled. The theoretical need for water remains, and additional application of water would result in additional CU. This type of water shortage cannot be reduced through additional water supplies and has not been further evaluated. For the basins having DSS tools, water districts that have significant water shortages resulting from the relative priority of the water rights or lack of physical supply have been identified. A more detailed description of the methodology for evaluating these shortages can be found in Appendix F. Figure 5-10 shows those basins that have been determined to have significant water shortages as described above. Based on the prevalence of calls J~~a $~ole'ri~ice Wo~e' $upplY Initia~ive throughout the entire Arkansas and South Platte Basins, even during average year streamflow conditions, widespread agricultural water shortages can be expected. In the North Platte Basin, Basin Roundtable participants indicated a need to firm up agricultural supplies. Although there is no DSS for the North Platte Basin, agricultural shortages can be expected. Generally, the cost of water development exceeds the ability of agriculture to pay for the development of additional water supplies. As a result, it may not be practical or cost-effective to attempt to develop water supply alternatives for areas having agricultural water shortages unless multi-purpose projects could be developed. Section 10 lists potential options for reducing agricultural shortages that have been identified during the process. Funding and ability to pay must be addressed if any of these projects are to be developed. <~ yyy 54 76 / 56~ 55~ %A 48 ~3 ~ ~ _, 64 r ai _-i ~ ~ . .. mp t S ring St ~ ~ q ea oa p s ~ 57 4 ~ 58 i ` ~ so ~ . 5 ~ 65 ~ 4(3 '~/ 5'I 6 ~2 ~'.... ~ \ 53 ~ ~ ..., ~ 52 7 ._ . De` er 39 ~ 36 9 Glenwood Spr~ings 70 37 ~ 45 f 80 $ nJ ~ 38 _ 49 Grand Ju cti `~ ~ 23 _~ 73 ti J :. ~ qy~ 40 /~- ~~ ~ Colorado Springs ~ • ` ~~ ~,. ~ 59 , ~ ~10 - ~ ~ Montrbse . ~~ 1 41 ~ ~ ~ ' 2 ~', ) ~ 28 - ' ~-~ PuAblo~ 61 ~ ~ ~ sa~, 68 62 26 ) a4 ,7 ~ 67 25 13 ~ ~ 69 15 j 27 / v~ 79~/ r 71 2 "_~ 32 -~ 30 Alamosa 16 ngo 31 78 35 18 r~ Dura ~ 34 33 ~, 29 21 f~ :~V 9~ 66 ~~ ~ 46 _ ,.~ 77 22 ~ 24 - - Streams C3 Non-DSS Basins with Anticipated Widespread Agricultural Water Shortages • Cities a Water District Wth Average Agricultural Water Shortages >= 10 % '-°~LCJO C3 Water District with Average Agricultural Wa[er Shortages < 10 % Q ~ River Baslns ~ Water Distnctwith Possible Agricultural Water Shortages ~~,~~u~M~~~~ Figure 5-10 Summary of Agricultural Water Shortages by Water District ~~ S:\REPORT\WORD PROCESSING\REPORT\SS 11-7-04.DOC 5-15