24

• Board Meeting Date: 1/23/2008
• Description: OWCDP Section - Presentation on the 2007 Drought and Water Supply Assessment
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

STATE OF COLORADO
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
wuu . o~n cU. state. co.us
Bill Ritter, Jr.
Governor
TO: Colorado Water Conservation Board Members
H:uris D. Sherman
DNR Executive Director
FROM: Veva McCaig, Section Chief

Office of Water Conservation & Drought Planning Jennifer L. GimUel
cwcB Direator
DATE: Janua 23 2008 DanMcAnliffe
CWCB Deputy Director
SUBJECT: Agenda Item #24, January 22-23, 2007 Board Meeting
Presentation on the 2007 Drought & Water Supply Assessment
Background
In 2003/2004, the CWCB undertook the project, Drought & Water Supply Assessment (DWSA),
to engage Colorado water users to determine how prepared Colorado had been for drought and to
identify limitations and related measures to better prepare the state for the future droughts. The
data collected addressed key issues water managers and planners throughout the state were
facing both short and long-term management of their respective water resources. The key issues
were: limitations to current water supply, status of water supply, drought planning, water
conservation planning, impacts of the 2002 drought, and limitations to planning for future water
supply, needs for structural and non-structural projects for drought mitigation and what the state
role was in future drought planning and mitigation efforts.
The 2004 Drought & Water Supply Assessment reached an extensive assemblage of water users
around the State that included municipal, agriculture, power, federal, state, industrial and other
industry sectors. The 383-question survey was completed by 537 participants.
Summary
In 2007 the CWCB conducted afollow-up survey to the 2004 DWSA. The 2007 DWSA focused
solely on municipal and urban water providers in Colorado. The decision to narrow the focus of
this Assessment was due to limits on budget and schedule. A detailed telephone survey was
implemented to evaluate key components of water supply planning by water providers around
the State. The survey took approximately 30 minutes and participants were able to schedule time
with the phone survey staff at their convenience. Out of 324 targeted providers with contact
information, 200 responded, with is a 62% response rate. More importantly, the agencies
reportedly provided water to more than 4.2 million Coloradoans, more than 85% of the State's
population. The survey focused on four areas: drought status and preparedness, water
conservation planning and programs, climate change and long-term planning.
Water Supply Protection • Watershed Protection & Fluud blitigatiun • Stream & Lake Protection • Water Supply Planning & Finance
Water Conservation & Drought Planning • Intrastate ~F'ater Management & Development