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South Platte River Basin Greeley, Colorado 9.4.03 29 L ocal and county government, water conservancy district, agricultural Study solutions to the increasing depletion of groundwater: Recharging or augmenting groundwater is a significant issue in the basin, given the large number of small communities and agricultural users whose supply comes from groundwater. The SWSI process needs to include all interests in this diverse basin: The South Platte basin is very large and includes a wide variety of interests. In addition, because the South Platte Basin is home to such a large percentage of the state?s population, its actions will have significant impacts on other basins. The SWSI process needs to recognize and address these concerns. In addition, SWSI needs to create a forum where inter-basin conflicts can be resolved. Solutions should include conservation and reuse: Conservation and reuse must be encouraged. Conservation can produce the biggest yield for the smallest cost. Legal restrictions on water to protect endangered species limits solutions: The Endangered Species Act, which protects the habitats of endangered bird species in Nebraska by ensuring adequate flows from Colorado, poses a significant threat to water users in the South Platte basin. That issue controls the amount of water available for use in the basin. Consider agriculture to municipal transfersThis is a complex issue with a variety of issues to consider, both from the municipality and the agricultural perspectives. Proposed solutions need to consider the farmer?s water rights and the municipality?s water management options in wet and dry years. Storage capacity needs to be increased: To the extent that new storage is created, it should be based on a cost-benefit analysis where costs and the benefits are clearly and broadly defined. The decision to build new storage needs to be based on a broad array of perspectives: environmental considerations, economic considerations, irrigation conversion, impacts on agriculture, impacts on endangered species, and others.