S10_11-15-04

• Basin: Statewide
• Title: SWSI Phase 1 Report - Section 10 Basin-Specific Options
• Date: 11/15/2004
• Author: CWCB
• SWSI - Doc Type: Final Report

Section 10
Basin-Specific Options
10.1.4 Colorado Basin
10.1.4.1 Colorado Basin Gap Analysis Issues
As presented in Section 6, the gap analysis process
presented at the Basin Roundtable Technical Meetings
provided information on the Identified Projects and
Processes that M&I water providers are reasonably
confident of implementing to meet 2030 water demands.
Key activities related to water supply planning and basin
specific issues raised throughout the meetings and SWSI
process with respect to M&I and SSI demands in the
Colorado Basin include the following:
^ Rapid growth in the headwaters areas and lack of
available supplies as a result of existing in-basin
uses, and existing and future transbasin diversions
are significant challenges.
^ The UPCO and Eagle River processes are critical to
meeting future demands in Eagle, Grand, and Summit
Counties.
^ Water contracts are available out of Ruedi, Green
Mountain, and Wolford Reservoirs and can provide
direct water supply or for use in augmentation plans
10.1.4.2 Colorado Basin Supply Availability
Issues
In the Colorado Basin, the following issues were
identified regarding supply availability:
^ Colorado Compact
- Concern over a potential compact call during
severe and sustained drought.
^ Endangered Species
- The success of the Endangered Species program
is critical to help protect current and future water
uses.
^ RICDs and CWCB instream flow water rights may
impact the ability to manage water supplies upstream
of these water rights.
^ CWCB instream flows can impact the ability to divert
water under junior rights, such as winter diversions for
snowmaking.
^ Recreation and the environment are key drivers for
industries and economic health as well as important
components to quality of life.
^ Agricultural transfers to M&I use will continue from
purchases, developer donations of water rights
through annexation requirements, and development
on irrigated lands.
Agricultural issues noted throughout SWSI in the
Colorado Basin include:
^ Agriculture is a key component in the lower basin
(Grand Valley).
^ There are some agricultural shortages in Water
Districts 45, 53, and 70 that are primarily due to the
lack of physical supply on tributaries.
^ Contract water is available out of Ruedi, Green
Mountain, and Wolford Reservoirs for agricultural use
but cannot alleviate much of the shortage due to lack
of physical supplies on tributaries. Agricultural uses
also have difficulty affording the costs of the
contracts.
~
$~ole'ri~ice Wo~e' $upplY Initia~ive
^ Denver and NCWCD Firming Projects will further
reduce available flows in Grand and Summit Counties
and will impact future growth opportunities in these
counties.
^ Potential future transmountain diversions such as
Homestake II must be considered to ensure that in-
basin needs are met.
^ Agricultural and hydroelectric power calls and
reservoir operations significantly impact water
operations and supply availability in the upper
portions of the basin.
^ Development of conditional water rights, especially for
transbasin diversions, may further reduce supply
availability for future in-basin needs.
10.1.4.3 Colorado Basin Summary of
Conditional Storage Rights
To portray the conditional storage rights present in the
Colorado Basin, the area was described using water
districts as shown in Figure 10-5.
The 12 water districts in the Colorado Basin can also be
described using the main stream systems, which are
shown in Table 10-4.
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