Front Range Water Council Response

• Title: Front Range Water Council Response to Visioning
• Date: 2/26/2008
• Interbasin CC - Doc Type: Correspondence/Memos

agricultural flood irrigation and more aggressive conservation practices for the irrigation
of turf and landscape; this may adversely impact the riparian zone.
• RICD water rights claims will be reduced to allow upstream water development and
beneficial use.
B. Eastern Plains: It is postulated that the Eastern Plains may see the following:
• There may be a loss of rural agricultural-based communities due to economic
dislocation/relocation (independent of water transfers).
• Irrigated agriculture will continue to exist in those areas of the South Platte Basin where
return flows and run-off from urban areas are sufficient to sustain irrigated agriculture.
• There will be the "potential" growth of new economies which are not water dependent.
• More water will be needed for threatened and endangered species.
• Colorado's export statute and the South Platte River compact may be challenged.
• There may be significant decrease in the groundwater accretions to the stream
(groundwater return flows or stream gains) because of the reduction or elimination of
agricultural flood irrigation and more aggressive conservation practices for the irrigation
of turf and landscape; this may adversely impact the riparian zone.
• Riparian forests along the streams will be controlled and managed in an effort to reduce
the non-beneficial consumptive use of water.
• Higher water quality discharge standards will specifically address nutrients, pathogens,
and bacteria. Elevated discharge standard requirements may cause some water suppliers
to consider and implement closed potable re-use systems.
• Brine disposal from treatment of water for potable use will be a major environmental
concern and a major cost factor in implementing potable reuse plans. It may limit the
conversion of agricultural water rights to municipal use for those water rights located in
the lower reaches of the South Platte and Arkansas basins.
• Additional local regulatory storage will be required to achieve adequate water
management. Local regulatory storage will be constructed to take advantage of the
increased amount of run-off from growing urban areas due to increases in impermeable
surfaces and greater variations in weather and precipitation patterns.
• There will be increased integration of surface water and groundwater to better manage
these resources. Integrated administration will be aided by comprehensive basin-wide
modeling.
• There will be increased open space, conservation easements and riparian restoration
opportunities.
• There will be scientific advancements in the production of increased agricultural yields
with decreased water use.
C. Mountain Communities: It is postulated that the Mountain Communities may see the
following:
• There will be little change in overall water supply availability, as available water has
already been developed.
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