16f

• Board Meeting Date: 11/14/2007
• Description: CF Section - En-bloc Non-Reimbursable Investments - Colorado River Water Availability Study
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO
Colorado Water Conservation Soard
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
w~aw . cw•cb . s tote. c o. u s
MEMORANDLTM Biu Ritter, sr.
Governor
Harris D. Sherman
Executive Director
To: Colorado Water Conservation Board Members
Dan McAuliffe
CWCB Acting
From: Ray Alvarado Director
Date: October 31, 2007
Subject: Agenda 16f En-block Non-Reimbursable Investments, Colorado River Water Availability Study
Introduction
This request is for additional funding for the SB 07-122 Colorado River Water Availability Study. In SB 07-122
the General Assembly provided $500,000 to conduct the study. With the writing of the scope and our meetings
with the IBCC committee, it is apparent that the $500,000 provided will not be enough to complete the work
SB 07_122 requires. For FY 07-08, an appropriation of $500,000 is being sought from the Construction
Fund to complete the first two phases of the study. The program was initially funded in 2007 under SB 07-
122, from the construction fund. The current total of non-reimbursable investment in the Colorado Water
Availability Study is $1,000,000.
Discussion
Over the last decade Colorado has seen rapidly increasing demands placed on our water supply by both
traditional consumptive and more recent nonconsumptive (recreational and environmental) uses. By the year
2030 Colorado's population is expected to grow to about 7.1 million people (current estimates are
approximately 4.5 million people). This population growth coupled with concerns over both the recent severe
drought and projections of greater climate variability raises significant concerns over the water supplies
Colorado has available to meet the needs of our citizens and the environment.
The water availability study is intended to help Colorado make wise resource management decisions while
acknowledging that there is a degree of uncertainty as Colorado moves into the future. The study is intended to
answer what on the face seems an easy question:
Flood Protection • Water Project Planning and Finance • Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection • Conservation Planning