S11_11-15-04

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

Section 11
Implementation
The difficulty in developing that common understanding
goes to the very root of the values and interests that
people hold in regard to their water future. Water
providers assume an advocacy role when asked that
question, interpreting the answer with their customers'
and stakeholders' interests in mind.
Not until we can move beyond these positions to one
where a thoughtFul dialogue can take place, will we
know the answer to this questian. Yet, it is a critical
question, and too important to not probe further. Basin
Roundtables should continue to explore this issue, and
determine whether it is possible to move stakeholders
beyond an advocacy role and develop a consensus on
how much water we have that can be developed. The
answer is too important to our collective water future to
not make this effort.
In addition, the section should:
^ Work to ensure supplies available under compacts
remain available to meet future water needs.
^ Make recommendations to the Board about the need
for future project reconnaissance and feasibility
studies that can aid the state in meeting needs,
without simply relying on water suppliers to request
such support.
^ Identify and exploit federal funding opportunities.
11.6.4 Instream Flow and Natural Lake
Level Protection Tasks
Preserving the natural environment of streams and lakes,
consistent with the doctrine of
prior appropriations and the
laws of the state, is a priority
for Colorado. The CWCB's
Instream Flow Program
managed by the CWCB has
been the primary means by
which this objective has been
pursued. Since its creation in
1973, the program has
resulted in the appropriation of
instream
~~
flow water rights on more than 8,000 miles of streams
and 475 natural lakes in the state.
There was interest among some of the Basin
Roundtables to further enhance the flows for
environmental and recreational purposes beyond the
instream flow program, and in developing new and
creative mechanisms to achieve this goal. The key to
doing this lies in involving all key stakeholders in
this discussion - environmental interests,
recreational advocates, agriculture, municipal, and
industrial. In addition, it is imperative that these
stakeholders strive for balance in how this goal is
achieved.
In developing new water projects, this Program also was
identified as having an important role to play.
^ CWCB should identify stream segments or ecological
areas for flow prioritization or enhancement. Working
through the Basin Roundtable process, the CDOW,
and other interest groups, the state could begin to
develop an objective and reproducible framework for
evaluating, quantifying, and prioritizing environmental
and recreational water goals. This program could
build from the existing authorities of the CWCB
instream flow program and the "conserve, protect,
and restore" approach brought forth through many of
the SWSI Basin Roundtable discussions.
^ Prioritize the need for instream flow and natural lake
protection to coincide with SWSI related plans.
^ Use the program to provide regulatory stability to help
water suppliers meet permitting requirements.
^ Make recommendations to
the Board about the need
for future project
reconnaissance and
feasibility studies that can
aid the state in meeting
needs, without simply
relying on water suppliers
to request such support.
^ Identify and exploit federal
funding opportunities.
~~
Statew~itle Water Supply Inii'iative
11-12 S:\REPORT\WORD PROCESSING\REPORT\S11 11-10-04.DOC