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• Board Meeting Date: 1/23/2008
• Description: Director's Report - IBCC Director
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

1

Even though I speak with diverse groups, I consistently hear the following about "business as
usual" 50 years from now:
· Statewide we will have competing uses for a limited water supply. We will have to
make trade-offs in order to balance our state's need for municipal and industrial (M&I),
agricultural, energy, and environmental/recreational uses of water. Climate change may
also add a new level of complexity and uncertainty to water planning.
· The Eastern Plains will see significant reductions in agriculture and this will adversely
affect the region's economy and way oflife. "Buy and dry" approaches to water
transfers will be the primary means of meeting water supply needs.
· The Front-Range will have a large urban population stretching from Fort Collins to
Pueblo, and these land-use decisions will guide many of Colorado's future water supply
options.
· Colorado's mountain communities will have seen the state's highest growth rates on a
percentage~basisas people move to these areas for the recreational. and environmental
amenities. Localized water supply shortages will be a challenge in these headwater
areas.

This approach comes from my discussions around the state over the past year. When I am out
talking with different communities, I consistently ask them to think about what Colorado will
look like in 50 years. What will the Eastern Plains, the Front-Range, the mountain headwaters,
the West Slope, North Park, and the San Luis Valley look like? How will these regions change?
50 years from now, what will form the economic base in each region and what will the
environment look like? I ask Coioradans to assume the "business as usual" scenario.
them ifthis is the Colorado they would like to see. Ifthis is,
not, then we should be doing something different.

Then I ask
then we are on the right track. If

We began this discussion at the October 2007 IBCC meeting (see October 2007 IBCC Meeting
Notes). In order to move forward, I propose that the IBCC articulate different visions for what
Colorado will look like in 50 years and how meeting our water supply challenges fit into those
VISIons.

At the January 2008 IBCC meeting that was cancelled, I had hoped to delve into a discussion on
your visions for Colorado's water supply future. In order to keep this important effort moving
forward, I would like for each of you to consider the questions posed in this memo and come to
the March IBCC meeting prepared to discuss them.

Subject:

Visions for eolorado's

Water Supply Future

Date

January

Harris D. Sherman, Executive Director ofDNR
Director of Compact Negotiations

15,

2007

From:

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To

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IBCC Members

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