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Much of the water used for these industrial purposes is supplied from deep groundwater wells <br />typically located in the confined aquifer. The amount of water used for industrial purposes from <br />groundwater wells is not known although Water Division 3 estimates the amount to be minimal in <br />comparison to municipal and agricultural uses: water is often used only for dust suppression or in <br />small flow-through systems (e.g. for fish hatcheries). <br />M&I Water Consumption <br />Water use and consumption by municipalities varies over course of the year in response to <br />changes in climate and water needs. Water use is highest during the summer months because of <br />outdoor lawn and garden watering practices: in the Town of Center, for example, water use rates <br />are roughly three times higher during the summer months than during the winter months. <br />Similarly, water consumption is higher during periods when lawn and garden irrigation occurs. <br />In other areas of Colorado, outdoor municipal water use has been estimated at roughly 75 percent <br />consumptive with an overall (outdoor and indoor) consumption rate of between 50 and 60 percent <br />(Metropolitan Water Supply Investigation, Colorado Water Conservation Board, 1999). By <br />contrast, these same studies estimate water consumption during winter months at between 5 and <br />10 percent of water used. <br />Water Right Change Cases <br />Each of the municipalities contacted were asked about recent water rights decrees involving <br />changes from agricultural to municipal or industrial uses. With the exception of the City of <br />Alamosa, none of the municipalities contacted were aware of recent or pending water rights <br />change cases involving city water rights. The City of Alamosa recently purchased agricultural <br />lands and water rights and may, at some point in the future, attempt to change their decreed use, <br />but has not yet initiated this process. <br />Comments and Concerns <br />None <br />C:Acdss\M&I Use.doc M&I Water Uses July 8, 1999 -Page 5 of 5 <br />