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Section 6 <br />Water Needs Assessment <br />6.3.1 Arkansas Basin <br />6.3.1.1 Identified Projects and Processes for <br />M&I, SSI, and Agricultural Users <br />Major ldentified Projects and Processes for the Arkansas <br />Basin are summarized in Table 6-3. For reference, <br />Figure 6-5 provides a map of subbasins, counties, and <br />major cities in the basin as referenced throughout this <br />discussion. <br />In the Arkansas Basin, most of the major M&I surface <br />water providers reported that they will be able to meet <br />2030 needs through existing supplies, projects <br />underway, and future plans and projects. Reuse is being <br />pursued by most providers that have reusable supplies. <br />In most cases in Colorado, reuse is limited to non-native <br />water such as transbasin diversions and the unused first <br />use portion of the CU portion of transfers of agricultural <br />rights. Most of the entities that are planning reuse <br />projects in the Arkansas Basin anticipate using one or <br />more of the following components: <br />^ Augmentation Plans <br />^ Exchanges <br />^ Non-potable use for irrigation of parks and golf <br />courses <br />^ Groundwater recharge <br />^ Gravel lake storage to regulate consumable return <br />flows for exchange or non-potable reuse <br />While many major providers in the basin currently have <br />identified future water conservation as an identified <br />project and process to meet 2030 demands, they do not <br />anticipate implementing more aggressive levels (Levels 4 <br />and 5) of conservation. In fact, most providers indicated <br />that they would be more likely to acquire additional <br />agricultural rights than to implement aggressive levels of <br />conservation. The various levels of conservation are <br />detailed in Section 8. The urban quality of life associated <br />with irrigated turfgrass and other outdoor watering was <br />cited as an important consideration in promoting <br />reasonable water use and landscaping. Customer <br />acceptance of aggressive, permanent restrictions on <br />irrigated landscaping, rather than temporary drought <br />related bans, was considered to be low. Finally, it was <br />noted that lawn watering can in effect serve as a source <br />r~ <br />of water supply reserve storage, in that that water can be <br />utilized during periods of drought by restricting water use <br />as discussed above in Section 6.1.2.1 and in Section 8. <br />Moreover, it was estimated that conservation, even at <br />aggressive Level 4 and 5, can reduce, but could not <br />eliminate the Arkansas Basin gap. This is due to the fact <br />that much of the gap is in areas where there are currently <br />inadequate long-term supplies to meet future demands <br />and conserving existing supplies for those users would <br />not meet future water needs. Non-tributary, non- <br />renewable groundwater users need a renewable source <br />of supply and conservation resulting in reduced demand <br />of the non-renewable sources would extend the life of <br />these sources, but not address the ultimate need for <br />renewable sources of water. <br />Colorado Springs Utilities and the Pueblo Board of Water <br />Works (BOWW) both indicated that they have adequate <br />existing water rights to meet 2030 demands and beyond. <br />Their "surplus" supplies are not available for permanent <br />use by others, since these supplies will eventually be <br />needed by Colorado Springs and Pueblo BOWW. Given <br />the lack of developable new supplies in the Arkansas <br />Basin, agricultural transfers throughout the basin will <br />continue via purchases, developer donations, and <br />development of irrigated lands. Providers in the <br />Southeastern Colorado Water Conservation District <br />(SECWCD), including entities in the Upper Arkansas, <br />Urban Counties, and Lower Arkansas subbasins, are <br />relying heavily on future Fry-Ark allocations and portions <br />of the Preferred Storage Options Plan (PSOP). The <br />PSOP would provide supplies to these areas through its <br />re-operation, reservoir enlargements, and reduction in <br />storage demands due to conservation. The Eastern <br />Plains subbasin will rely on non-tributary groundwater <br />and the Southwestern Arkansas subbasin will rely on <br />augmentation, existing water rights, and agricultural <br />transfers. <br />Many providers are planning on maximizing the use of <br />their existing transbasin and other consumable supplies. <br />Even though there is no developable additional water in <br />the basin, storage is needed throughout the basin to <br />regulate existing and future supplies, firm the yield of <br />agricultural transfers, provide for augmentation releases, <br />and to capture return flows. <br />6-12 S:\REPORIIWORD PROCESSING\REPORllS6 11-8-04.DOC <br />