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The SWSI process needs to include all interests in this diverse basin: ± The South Platte basin is large and includes a wide variety of interests. Denver?s interests are different than Greeley?s. It will be difficult to represent all parts of such a large basin. Also, 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. SWSI needs to recognize these concerns. ± SWSI needs to bring together people from all impacted basins. To the extent that the South Platte imports water from another basin, the South Platte Technical Roundtable process should include representatives from that other basin. ± There needs to be a process and forum where inter-basin conflicts can be resolved. CWCB is in the best position to reach out and to find a solution, a solution where both sides can win. I am thankful to the CWCB for hosting these meetings. SWSI has a daunting task and I applaud its intentions. Hopefully, this will lead to better-informed choices for the state. ± How will SWSI deal with the situation where a municipality might want to do one thing and the Technical Roundtable discussions or internal planning point in another direction? How does the process allow for that to be resolved? : It was explained that SWSI is a reconnaissance level study that will identify projects that are ready to go forward. SWSI will not interfere with the local planning process, but will facilitate project progress. With respect to alternatives, or projects with no clear horizon, SWSI is going to catalogue them. Those projects that are more developed will be evaluated as alternatives. It was further explained that SWSI might make the information about a project more available, potentially allowing development of a project in a region. CWCB would also like to evaluate gaps between water supply and demand. If gaps exist, then SWSI can identify solutions that are readily available and promote collaboration. SWSI does not intend to interfere with water planning efforts, just cooperate. Solutions should include conservation and reuse: ± The yield generated by new storage is minimal where water is as heavily appropriated as it is in our basin. Conservation should therefore be emphasized. Conservation will produce the biggest yield for the smallest cost. The state can build all the storage it wants, but storage is useless if no water is available. The basin is so over-appropriated there simply isn?t water for new storage to capture. ± It was noted, however, that a major precipitation event three years ago on the North Fork of the Poudre produced enough spillage at the Milton Seaman Reservoir to take care of the needs of one of the basin?s largest municipalities for a full year. If we could have stored that water, then the value of storage would have been realized. ± Education should be an important component of water conservation. Teach children, adults, and newcomers to the state about conservation and all perspectives on water demand and use. It was pointed out that the legislature recently passed legislation to establish within the CWCB a water education fund, the first of its kind in the country. Colorado is a leader by approving such a fund. The Colorado Water Conservation Board will continuously appropriate money for water education. This foundation provides seed money that will help grow this effort. Educating young people will benefit future water conservation efforts, but