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Section 6 Implementation and Recommendations for Colorado's Water Supply Future The mission of the state with respect to meeting 80 percent of our M~SCI water needs by 2030 should be: Following the lead of local water suppliers, the state will monitor long-term water needs, provide technical and financial assistance to put the necessary plans, projects, and programs in place to meet those needs, and foster cooperation to avoid being forced to make trade-offs that would otherwise harm Colorado's environment, lifestyle, culture, and economy. As previously stated, water conservation will be an important element of these plans; the state must also address the remaining 20 percent gap between supply and need. In addition, localized agricultural shortages have been identified in all basins along with significant environmental and recreational needs. Articulating the CW CB's role in helping to narrow and eventually eliminate this gap is much trickier both institutionally and politically. It is this gap that must be filled with "new" water. If water suppliers bad the water to meet the demand represented by this gap, there would be no gap. The mission for the state in filling this gap should be Foster cooperation among water suppliers and citizens in every water basin to examine and implement options to fill the gap between ongoing water planning and future water needs Section 5 of this report that discusses alternatives for meeting the gap. Implementing additional conservation measures in some of the major gap areas (Northern El Paso, Arapahoe, and Douglas Counties) where water demand is primarily supplied by non-renewable groundwater can reduce the rate of mining of groundwater and extend the useful life of aquifers. However, this does not provide a renewable water supply for these water providers. It would be inaccurate and misleading to look at statewide conservation savings and arithmetically apply it to the gap areas. This would assume that saved water in other basins or other geographic areas can or would be delivered to gap areas. There bas not been any indication that water providers who achieved future water conservation savings would be willing to perpetually allocate saved water to other water providers. In the event that water providers would agree to permanently sell conserved water to the gap areas, significant infrastructure costs would need to be added to the costs in the Table 2-1 matrix. However, the successful implementation of conservation in the gap areas would reduce, but not eliminate the need for renewable water sources. 2. A portion of conserved water can be used for new growth, improving system reliability and environmental flows but it is unlikely that it will be used to provide water to other entities. There bas not been any indication that water providers who achieved future water conservation savings would be willing to perpetually allocate saved water to other water providers. Rather, it is more likely that conserved water would be used first to increase system reliability and then any additional savings might be allocated to year to year M~eI or agricultural leases or to enhancing environmental or recreational flows. 3. There is a need for the successful implementation The role that water conservation could play in of water conservation measures. However, helping address the future water supply needs and successful implementation will not eliminate the the gap identified in SWSI is discussed in general need for additional water supply acquisition and terms below. Additional detail can be found in development of structural projects to meet 6-12 PRELIMINARY DRAFT