Reservoir Operating Studies
<br />summarizes the current (1989) observed and potential water demands in various sectors of the
<br />basin. economy.
<br />Table 2-1
<br />Summary of Current and Projected Water Demands (af)
<br /> 1989 Current 2015 2040
<br /> Observed Use Potentia l Demand Projected Demand Projected Demand
<br /> Withdrawn Consumed Withdrawn Consumed Withdrawn Consumed Withdrawn Consumed
<br />Domestic 4,101 1,194 5,577 1,624 14,327 4,175 37,662 10,983
<br />Commercial 817 124 1,111 169 3,022 456 8,310 1,247
<br />Industrial 65 65 88 88 216 216 8,542 8,542
<br />Thermoelec 18,157 18,157 22,615 22,615 22,875 22,875 30,993 30,993
<br />Mining 5,053 1,692 5,053 1,692 12,571 3,725 32,686 8,936
<br />Irrigation 319,743 79,043 336,496 83,184 336,496 83,184 336,496 83,184
<br />Livestock 5,635 885 5,635 885 6,135 1,385 6,135 1,385
<br />Other 667 349 667 349 2,536 1,309 7,118 3,640
<br />Res Evap 5,778 5,778 5,778 5,778 5,778 5,778 5,778 5,778
<br />Export 3,157 3,157 4,788 4,788 4,788 4,788 4,788 4,788
<br />Total 363,173 110,444 387,808 121,172 408,744 127,891 478,508 159,476
<br />Source: USGS, 1989, Blank, 1990, Davenport, 1990.
<br />The estimated potential demand under current development conditions assumed greater
<br />utilization of existing facilities and allowed for higher but not unprecedented depletion rates.
<br />Potential municipal use included a 36 percent increase over observed 1989 use and was meant
<br />to allow for high demands that could be experienced during a dry summer. The potential
<br />thermoelectric use estimate allowed for 90 percent utilization of existing generation capacity
<br />and the highest water use per unit of generation at Craig and Hayden observed over 1985 to
<br />1989. The potential irrigation use was based on 75,000 irrigated acres, slightly more than the
<br />highest historical value of 73,300 acres estimated for 1983, and 1.11 of of depletion per acre
<br />estimated for 1989. Potential evaporation and export figures were the highest calculated by the
<br />State Engineer's Division 6 office over the 1981 to 1989 period.
<br />Projected Future Demands
<br />Rates of population growth in Moffat and Routt counties for the 1970 to 1990 period
<br />were used to project increases in regional population for the years 2015 and 2040. Population
<br />was assumed to increase each year by a fixed percent of previous years' population; these
<br />projections resulted in 2040 estimates of population for Moffat and Routt Counties of 44,800
<br />and 121,800 persons, respectively. Population growth was then used to extrapolate future
<br />water use in the municipal, commercial, non-thermoelectric industrial, mining and "other"
<br />water use categories. The growth rates were also applied to mining because much of the water
<br />use in mining involves sand and gravel operations, which should generally expand with
<br />population. In other sectors, projected water use was based on specific growth assumptions.
<br />The resulting estimates of projected 2015 and 2040 water demands are also summarized in
<br />Table 2-1.
<br />The 2015 and 2040 demand levels represent additional depletions over current conditions
<br />due primarily to growth in municipal and industrial uses. The 2015-level demands are roughly
<br />2-4
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