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Yampa/White River Basin Steamboat Springs, Colorado 8.21.03 50 Municipal, agriculture, wildlife, tourism Additional storage is needed: The group acknowledged and supported the need for additional storage projects, particularly for the tributaries. There was also sentiment for new storage on the White River. Studying smaller reservoirs and ways to enhance existing storage facilities was recommended. Studies should examine existing and future supply: Ensuring sufficient future water supply is critical for several reasons, including protection of agricultural land, ability of the basin to grow its future economy, providing for future population growth, and protection of the recreation and fishing industries. Explore options for increasing water in basin tributaries: The main stem of the Yampa and White Rivers are not the issue ? the tributaries are where the shortage of water is the biggest problem. Municipalities along the main stem fared much better than smaller towns along low-level tributaries during the drought in terms of reliable water supply. Citizens would like to explore ways to increase water in tributaries, such as through fisheries and through irrigation measures. The SWSI process needs to be diverse: There is a wide range of needs in the state and in this basin. SWSI needs to represent all interests. Ensuring that this basin is well represented will help ensure that the basin isn?t taken advantage of by larger, more powerful basins. Recreational water use needs to be considered in solutions: Recreational use can compete with private interests for the development and use of the basin?s water resources. Meeting attendees mentioned recreation as an ?engine that fuels our economy.? Explore water management options like reuse, conservation, and other non- structural measures to improve return flows: Develop measures to ensure efficient and adequate returns of water into the tributaries and main stem. Look at best practices for ways to expand reuse. Increased conservation should be explored.