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 SWSI process is N~T:
^ Designed to supersede local water supply planning.
^ A process designed to facilitate transbasin projects.
^ An attempt to relieve water providers from the
financial responsibility to provide for mitigation as
required by law.
The SWSI process, however, IS intended to:
^ Develop a common understanding of future water
needs and the options available to meet those needs.
^ Facilitate discussion among various interest groups of
the tradeoffs associated with all water supply options.
^ Identify options for meeting environmental and
recreational needs.
^ Some Basin Roundtable participants were willing to
critique information presented, but did not provide any
information from their agencies that would assist in
the analysis and evaluation of data and findings.
^ Many of the larger and urban water providers were
wary of SWSI and questioned the benefits of active
participation in the process.
^ Data sources on M&I demands were difficult to
access. Interpretation of the data was also difficult
because this reporting is not routinely provided, and is
not available in a standardized format. Requirements
for standardized reporting for this information by all
water providers would allow refinement of supply and
demand and conservation efforts, and help ensure a
better understanding of out future water needs and
issues.
^ Identify options to address agricultural shortages.
Against this backdrop, the SWSI process faced
challenges in evaluating how to meet Colorado's future
water needs. These obstacles were technical, social, and
political in nature. There are some people that are simply
seeking answers to legitimate questions while others
would raise issues to maintain the status quo, or to
advance specific agendas. The following comments are
an acknowledgment that obstacles and issues were
encountered that made the SWSI process more difficult.
Yet it is essential that we not only recognize our
differences but also what we have in common and
continue to work together help ensure Colorado's water
future.
The following observations have been made of the SWSI
process:
^ The mandated timeline for completion of the report
did not allow adequate time for feedback and
discussion among Basin Roundtable members.
^ There was difficulty in communicating project goals,
objectives, and findings to Basin Roundtable
participants and interest groups in an understandable
manner. There continues to be misconceptions and
suspicion over the project goals, findings, and
recommendations.
^ Some Basin Roundtable participants had a difficult
time in representing a broader interest group, instead
representing the interests of their individual agency or
group.
~
$~ole'ri~ice Wo~e' $upplY Initia~ive
Questions and misunderstandings on data
interpretation are an ongoing challenge. SWSI will
continue to provide technically sound analyses, but
there needs to be the opportunity and willingness of
Basin Roundtable participants to not just critique data
but to offer other better data sources, if they exist, and
solutions.
Water supply and demand data is complex and
dynamic. Use of averages, differing periods of record,
and differing methods and assumptions can result in
competing conclusions. This in turn can lead people
to question the resulting conclusions or have
competing "facts."
Some people are willing to critique and judge the
validity of plans of other interest groups but do not
want people to judge their own planning and projects.
At times it appeared that some interest groups wanted
to utilize SWSI to help put pressure on other interests
in order to obtain a competitive advantage on an
issue or to help them "negotiate" something of
importance to them and/or advance their own
individual agendas or projects.
Water providers are sometimes reluctant to disclose
information. There is competition for water, especially
along the Front Range where many providers are
competing for the same water supplies. Water
providers are confident that they will be successful in
the competition for the limited supplies and they are
not seeking nor want assistance from the state. Water
suppliers feel that full disclosure of their plans may
impede their ability to be successful. This can occur in
several ways. For example, disclosing information on
projects can create greater competition and increase
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