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... WETLANDS POLICY OPTIONS ASSESSMENT FOR THE STATE OF COLORADO A Presentation to the Colorado Water Workshop Western state College July 23, 1991 by Peter Evans Executive Director's Office Colorado Department of Natural Resources Wetlands have provoked a controversy between those who want to preserve them for their intrinsic functions and values and those who want to develop them for other productive purposes. Until recently, it was commonly accepted that wetlands were relatively useless land which had to be filled or drained to have significant value. state and federal laws provided incentives for draining wetlands or protecting them from being flooded. The intrinsic values of wetlands began to be appreciated as sportsmen, farmers, ranchers, and wildlife managers recognized their food production and habitat values, and as landowners, state and local governments, and others recognized their flood control and water purification capabilities. Today, it is widely accepted that these and other wetland functions are direct benefits of wetland protection, enhancement, and restoration. As a result, the use of wetlands has become a source of great controversy between those who prefer that wetlands remain in their natural condition and those who have plans to drain and fill a marsh, swamp, fen, bog, etc., for other productive and valuable uses. Wetlands are scarce in Colorado and serve many valuable functions. Scarcity. The climate of Colorado is generally characterized as "semi-arid." As a result, our wetlands are most often associated with rivers and streams, mountain valleys, and irrigation facilities. Although we do not have an inventory of wetlands in Colorado, the best estimates by those who are active in the regulatory and resource management communities is that wetlands comprise only about 1% to 3% of Colorado's total land area. It has also been suggested tha~, as a result of various development activities, Colorado has lost approximately 50