Arkansas - Upper Ark WCD Hydrologic Water Balance Study_Letters of Support

• Basin Roundtable: Arkansas
• Applicant: Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District
• Description: Hydrologic Water Balance Study
• Account Source: Statewide
• Board Meeting Date: 9/15/2009
• Contract/PO #: 150460
• WSRA - Doc Type: Supporting Documents

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
P.O. BOX 699
?. i SALIDA, CO 81201
-!NAfPEE ' PHONE [phone]
:OUIJiY
oLoanoo , FAX [phone]
WEBSITE www.chaffeecounty.ore
November 10, 2008
Mr. Todd Dofterty
[ntrastate Water Management and Development Section
COLORADp WATER CONSERVATION BOARD
1580 Logan Street, Suite 600
Denver, CO 80203
Re: UPPER ARKANSAS WA'I'ER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT
WATER SUPPLY ItE, SCRVE ACCOUNT LETTER OF SUPPORT
To Wiiom [t May Concern:
Ctiaffee County supports the applieation of tlie Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District (UAWCD)
for A i3?ater Supply Reseive Accotmt grant from the Arl<Ansas Basin Roundtuble. The project involves a
joint UAWCD-U.S. Geological Service (USGS) liydrologic water bAlunce study. Tlte phased study begins
in Ctiaffee Couiity and eventualiy covers four Arkansas headwAters counties: Lake, Chaffee, Fremont,
and Custer.
Population growth for the Upper Arkansas
headwaters region is anticipated to be 72%
fi-om 2000 to 2030, aceording to a Statewide
Water Supply Initiative (SWSI) Arkansas
Basin 2006 Fact Sheet, as sliown at rig}it. The
greatest population increase is projected to be
in tlie Upper Arkansas basin. DAta generated
by the UAWCD-USGS Iiydrologic water
balance study will allow the counties and
municipalities within the District to plan for
growing water needs for this population
growtli, and for continued agricultural and
recreational needs and usage.
Arl:ansas aasfn Population ProJections
Incrtr.ein Pcrant 1'erccm
PopUawn Ulaxl: Atux"
2000 I030 2000to ?ODOto CKOWi
Subba:;nPngnacbn fbpitxion PopWrtbn 2030 2030 Rax
UpprrAr{ar.sat 85A0 196,•100 61;100 72 1.0
Url31111 iounUcs 661,G7D I,0I0,000 365,100 55 I.5
Lcvrrr/Vkans,s 96,200 52,100 5,900 13 0.•I
EastcmP0:nS 10,7oa ze,gaa 11.700 e1 17
Sc?tlnvestcrnArh:m?.?ti 73.100 36,600 13,500 50 15
TOTAC 835.100 1.293,000 457,400 55 15
Cliaffee County recognizes tliat State funds to assist tliis small District strategically located at the
headwaters of tlte Arkansas River wiil benefit the basin users beyond the UAWCD boundaries, and the
methodology may benefit otiier basins as well. The study will generate data that can be used by all basin
river users w(iether municipal, agricultural or recreational.
The Arkansas Bnsin is spatially the largest river basin in Colorado. It covers the entire soutlteast quarter
of the state, an area of 28,268 square miles or 27 percent of the surface area of Colorado. The counties
within the Upper Arkansas waterslied produce ---75% of the water available witliin the entire basin so
water management activities at the headwaters affect not only the 835,100 peaple living in the Arkansas
River Basin, but also those living in Kansas affected by the Arkansas River Compact. Further, tliis study