CSIReportColoradoBasinRoundtable

• Working Group: Public Education, Participation and Outreach
• Title: Mapping the Colorado Basin Roundtable's Water Policy Networks
• Date: 3/1/2008
• Author: Colorado Institute of Public Policy
• Interbasin CC - Doc Type: General Resources

Mapping the Colorado Basin Rou ndtable’s Water Policy Networks
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roundtable as well as some observers and liaisons to the roundtable. Almost 90% of Colorado
Basin Roundtable respondents have been in Colorado for more than 20 years and half of the
members have been actively involved in water issues for just as long. Forty-one of the forty-six
respondents have been on the roundtable for more than a year, with only a couple respondents
brand new to the roundtable. Similar to the demographics of
:
Key Finding 1.1 Although
all survey respondents, most roundtable participants are in
HB1177 only requires each
their forties and fifties and the vast majority are male. Over
roundtable to have one
three quarters of the Colorado Basin Roundtable members
representative each of
live in Mesa, Grand, Garfield, Eagle, and Summit Counties,
environmental and
with the remaining roundtable members mostly from other
recreational interests,
Western Slope counties. Thirty percent of roundtable
almost one quarter of
members own water rights and three quarters of roundtable
respondents from the
members represent organizations that own water rights, with
Colorado Basin Roundtable
overlap between the two. Only nine members of the
reported an environmental
roundtable who completed the survey neither own water
or recreational affiliation.
rights nor represent an organization owning water rights.
Eleven (23.9%) of the 46 respondents from the Colorado Basin Roundtable reported some form
of environmental or recreational affiliation (Table 1.3). Both of the individuals appointed to
represent environmental and recreational intere sts on the roundtable reported an environmental
or recreational affiliation, as would be expected. Eight of the remaining nine respondents
reporting an environmental or recreational affiliation are also appointed members of the
roundtable and their appointments cross many different sectors. The remaining respondent is
an observer to the table. This may suggest that while the statute creating the roundtables
mandated two seats at the table to represent these interests, the Colorado Basin roundtable
may have more representation than required due to the multiple affiliations of its members.
Table 1.3: Affiliations of Colorado Basin Roundtable Members
Number of Percent of
Respondents Respondents*
8 17.4%
Any elected or appointed public position
18 39.1%
Any government position, non-elected
6 13.0%
Agriculture
11 23.9%
Environment and recreation
18 39.1%
Water districts
14 30.4%
Water industry
5 10.9%
Other affiliations
* Percentages add up to more than 100 as respondents were permitted to select up to three affiliations.

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Statutorily required appointments to the roundtable include one member representing each county within the
borders of the roundtable; one member representing the m unicipalities from each county within the borders of the
roundtable; one member representing eac h water conservancy district and water conservation district within the
borders of the roundtable; on e member appointed by the legislature; t en at-large members appointed to represent
environmental interests, recreational interests, agricultural in terests, local domestic water provider interests, industrial
interests, at least five of whom own adjudicated water ri ghts. In addition to the voting members, three non-voting
members must be appointed to represent entities outside the basin who own water rights within the basin or, if three

such individuals are not available, three who hav e interests in and knowledge about water matters.
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