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reasons, we will concentrate our attention on the question of storage in the Colorado /Gunnison, <br />the Arkansas, and the South Platte. <br />In recent decades, reservoir storage has been only part of the answer to water supply <br />development. Water users also rely on direct flow diversions, transbasin imports, acquisition of <br />irrigation rights, groundwater development, water reuse and coordinated operations with other <br />providers as major components of their water supplies. Most of the water development projects <br />currently being contemplated or underway involve combinations of these strategies. Basin level <br />activities are described below, but the inclusion of specific projects should not be interpreted as <br />endorsements. <br />1. Arkansas Basin <br />In the Arkansas Basin, the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District, Colorado <br />Springs, a number of other in -basin municipal water providers and the City of Aurora are all <br />examining a range of new storage projects, reservoir enlargements, re- operations of existing <br />reservoirs and new raw water pipelines for water supply development purposes. <br />The Southeastern District has sponsored a cooperative planning process for in -basin water users <br />(the Preferred Storage Options Plan, or PSOP) to examine potential storage projects that could <br />help meet municipal in -basin water supply needs and facilitate cooperative water - sharing <br />arrangements between in -basin cities and farms. Options preliminarily selected in the PSOP <br />include enlargements of Pueblo and Turquoise Reservoirs and re- operation of existing storage <br />capacity in Pueblo Reservoir. <br />In addition to participating in the PSOP, Colorado Springs is examining a range of water supply <br />options of its own. Over 80% of Colorado Springs' water supply comes from transbasin sources <br />and is therefore reusable. Most of Colorado Springs' reusable return flows accrue to Fountain <br />Creek, which joins the Arkansas River within the City of Pueblo, downstream of Pueblo <br />Reservoir. In addition, Colorado Springs has acquired a significant amount of irrigation rights <br />from the lower Arkansas River. Colorado Springs is examining several storage and pipeline <br />options for regulating and delivering its reusable return flows and irrigation rights to its service <br />area for municipal use, either by exchange to its existing points of diversion in the upper <br />Arkansas or by direct pipeline delivery. In addition to the storage options preliminarily selected <br />in the PSOP, Colorado Springs is considering a new water delivery pipeline from Pueblo <br />Reservoir to its service area, as well as new on- stream storage reservoirs in the Upper Arkansas <br />basin. In the long term, a pump -back facility from Ruedi Reservoir into the upper Arkansas <br />River may be considered. <br />The City of Aurora has acquired major portions of the irrigation rights associated with the Rocky <br />Ford Ditch and Colorado Canal. Aurora is examining several storage and pipeline options for <br />maximizing the delivery of that water to its service area, either by upstream exchange to its <br />existing point of diversion at the Otero Pump Station or by direct pipeline delivery. Aurora is <br />considering new gravel pit storage below Fountain Creek, new reservoirs in the lower and upper <br />Arkansas, and new pipelines directly from the Arkansas River to Aurora. So far, Aurora's water <br />supply needs and planning efforts have not been included in or coordinated with the Southeastern <br />35 <br />