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<br />VII. Conclusion <br /> <br />The Board's analysis of water salvage reveals that opportunities to "maximize the <br />beneficial use of Colorado's water resources" exist through improving water use efficiency, <br />particularly agricultural water use. However, after accounting for ~hc return flow dynamic <br />the quantity of water supply made available for new uses through efficiency improvements <br />may not be as large as some would suggest. Implementation of salvage opportunities will <br />result in additional social, economic, and environmental gains and losses. Difficult policy <br />questions and resource tradeoffs must be evaluated and balanced before any approach to <br />water salvage or savings is adopted by the General Assembly. <br /> <br />The following points provide a framework for that evaluation. <br /> <br />A Varying degrees of water conservation may be recognized. <br /> <br />1. Reduction in historical productive, beneficial consumptive use. <br /> <br />2. Reduction in any historical consumptive use. <br /> <br />3. Reduction in historical diversion volumes, where the differential amount would not <br />be physically available to other users. <br /> <br />4. Reduction in historical diversion volumes, but subject to "no injury rule". <br /> <br />B. Various possible entitlements to salvaged or saved water can be recognized or created. <br /> <br />1. Water historically consumed and no longer needed belongs to the original user and <br />can be used for new purposes or transferred since no injury will result when only <br />consumptive use is transferred. <br /> <br />2. Water historically diverted, but no longer needed belongs to the original <br />appropriator for transfer under the original appropriation date, but subject to the no <br />injury rule. <br /> <br />3. Salvaged or saved water produced by efficiency improvements retains its original <br />priority and belongs to the party causing the improvements to be made. A water <br />user might be forced to allow someone else to improve his system and claim the <br />salvage, provided historical consumptive use is not impaired in any way. <br /> <br />4. Water no longer needed for a decreed beneficial use belongs to the stream system <br />and is available to existing and future appropriators for use under their own <br />priorities. <br /> <br />25 <br /> <br />". ~i14:.- <br />