28

• Board Meeting Date: 3/18/2008
• Description: IWMD Section - Presentation of Agricultural Water Conservation Paper
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

STATE OF COLORADO
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Sheet. Room 721
Dem~er, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
v`uu . ccvcb. state. co.us
Bill Ritter, Jr.
Governor
TO: Colorado Water Conservation Board Members
Harris D. Sherman
DNR Executive Director
FROM: Rick Brown
Todd Dohert Jennifer L. Gimbel
Y cwcB Director
Intrastate Water Management and Development
Dan McAuliffe
CWCB Deputy Director
DATE: March 10, 2008
SUBJECT: Agenda Item 28, November 18-19, 2008 Board Meeting-
Presentation of Agricultural Water Conservation Paper
Recommendation
This is an informational item and no action is requested.
Background
CWCB staff, in cooperation with the Colorado Water Resources Research Institute and CDM,
has prepared a draft report for the Colorado Water Agricultural Alliance. * The report, Meeting
Colorcxdo 's Facture IFc~ter Supply Needs: Opportunities crnc~ Challenges Associated with Potential
Agrieulta.are LI'czter Conser•vationll~Ieasures, examines the opportunities and challenges associated
with implementing water conservation measures as a source of future water supply, and provide
information to policymakers and the public regarding technical and legal limitations associated
with agricultural conservation and efficiency.
During the SWSI Phase 2 process, a Technical Roundtable (TRT) was formed to address
agricultural issues and to identify and evaluate alternatives to traditional agricultural transfers
resulting in permanent dry-up as well as explore opportunities where agricultural water
conservation and efficiency measures could result in additional water supplies without impairing
existing uses in Colorado. Despite our efforts, we were unsuccessful in fully engaging the
agricultural community. Following that initial effort, staff has continued to build
relationships with the agricultural community. The CAWA had expressed a need to better
articulate some of the issues that its members face and approached the CWCB with the request of
drafting a white paper on agricultural efficiency issues.
Summary
Agricultural irrigation is widely recognized as one of the most significant uses of water in
Colorado, using approximately 85 percent of the State's water. This has lead to a public
perception that implementation of agricultural water efficiency/conservation measures can easily
Water Supply Protection • Watershed Protection & Flood Mitigation • Stream & Lake Protection • Water Supply Planning & Finance
Water Conservation & Drought Planning • Intrastate Water Management & Development