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Statewide/Gunnison Basin Marc Catlin, Bill Trampe Status Quo • Not very much agriculture left in Colorado, except for recreational agriculture (race horse hay). • Municipal uses and energy uses will use most of the water. • All available water left would be reused water. • If we look back 50 years, the state seemed large, separation of Front Range cities, now we will change even faster on the Front Range and West Slope. • No irrigated agriculture in 50 years, only dry land. • Energy and municipal users will lead to overdevelopment of Colorado River Compact and that will be the end of West Slope agriculture. • Economic stability of West Slope depends on oil (people driving); with gas prices being very high, what will be the impact on the recreation economy of western Colorado and the entire state for that matter? • Sustainable agriculture - change in standard of living: U.S. spends less than 8 percent of gross income for food. Japan spends 20 percent. Dangerous situation for the U.S. The average household spends three times more of their disposable income on recreational amenities. • Water will not be the determining value in keeping agriculture viable; it will be land prices in recreational communities. • Destroyed critical mass of agriculture. • Takes 25,000 acres of sugar beets to fuel a sugar factory. Cannot get that commitment. • Wanted a hay factory in Upper Gunnison; newcomers said no. • Upper Gunnison - Recreation-based community. • Uncompahgre Valley - retirement. • Three types of people in the Gunnison Basin: - Hate growth. - Cashing in. - Wishing they could cash in. • Front Range thinks they are more valuable from an agriculture and economic standpoint. • West Slope will become a vehicle to deliver Colorado's Compact Entitlement. • Leadership across the state needs to take initiative, i.e., Harris Sherman, Gov. Ritter, County Commissioners, Mayors, etc., and ourselves. 6 I:\INTERBASIN COMPACT COMMITTEEWISIONS FOR COLORADO WATER SUPPLY FUTURE\RESPONSES TO VISIONING AND MARCH MEETING\IBCC REPRESENTATIVE COMMENTS.DOC