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± Storage is used for recreation like fishing and boating. Such recreation helps tourism, which is important since tourism income trickles down to the rest of the state and helps everyone. ± How should storage be used in the future? It plays into environmental issues. Big reservoirs, small reservoirs, irrigation, diversion, etc. This needs to be discussed and given back to the local level for a decision. Population growth projections indicate an increased need for water: ± Because of past planning, municipalities have had sufficient water to provide for the basin?s significant population growth. Some cities have drought protection by accident because they acquired water rights when they were relatively inexpensive and there were fewer environmental controls. That worked in the past, but it won?t work in the future. There will not be enough water for our future growth, which projections show will be significant, without acquiring additional water supply. Increased storage, conservation, and other ways can secure this additional water. ± Drought protection is zero for future population growth. This region needs additional storage for future growth, not for the current population. We are projecting 3.5% average annual growth in population in our municipality. For the next 50 years, drought protection does not exist for that population with existing supplies. We have to find new supplies, new storage, or find some method to divert agriculture water for storage. Miscellaneous: ± We have seen a significant and renewed interest in weather modification. Dolores, Rio Grande, Arkansas, and the South Platte have all had active cloud seeding programs last year. It?s difficult to pin down the specific benefits of cloud seeding, but if there is a benefit, it is very cheap per acre-foot. The bottom line is that if cloud seeding works, it is a worthwhile investment to attempt. State government will continue to explore this. ± Tamarisk, plants that suck up water along the stream, is an issue. Native plants that replace them are cottonwood and willow that are water-loving plants. Tamarisks are an invasive species and water intensive. We should eradicate the tamarisk since they choke the channels down more than cottonwoods and willows. ± The return flow to the river means that downstream users rely on upstream users. Everyone relies on everyone else. Upstream users, if they don?t act responsibly, could injure downstream users. Measures to protect downstream users are important and need to be recognized. ± Proponents of the Chimney Hollow project need to recognize the impact of that project on other basins. Discussion of moving this project forward without recognizing and addressing those impacts is indicative of the inter-basin tension that exists. ± Reverse osmosis is a possible solution to the supply and recharge issues that could be considered. Brighton uses this?is it useful there?