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water supplies under interstate compacts and U.S. Supreme Court decrees. A bibliography has <br />been prepared containing approximately 7,500 seperate items, and is available upon request. <br />Conclusions <br />The key conclusions and products of this - report are: <br />A bibliography has been developed which describes approximately 7,500 pertinent <br />reports related to water supply, drought periods, expected shortages, and <br />interstate compacts. On a broad scale, a wealth of individual information items <br />exist throughout the state. Local, smaller scale, data also exists, but are too <br />numerous to describe. The bibliography shows that most of the data on a <br />statewide basis has not been updated since the early 1970's. <br />Large scale data collection needs are significant and include additional irrigated <br />acreage information in Divisions 1, 2, and 3 and ground water pumping data in <br />Divisions 1 and 3. Compilation of statewide data is also needed. Detailed, local <br />data requirements are expected to continue to be addressed as needed. <br />Data management needs are large in Divisions 1, 2 and 3. These needs are <br />similar to those which resulted in developing the Colorado River Decision <br />Support System (CRDSS) for Divisions 4, 5, 6 and 7, and the South Platte Water <br />Rights Management System (SPWRMS) in Division f A plan and schedule have <br />been developed which will allow a statewide "Colorado Water Decision Support <br />System" to be realized.. The development of this system is estimated to cost 5 <br />million dollars and would take approximately 8 years to complete. <br />Development of accurate water budgets throughout the state is difficult given the <br />current level of data collection and available resources. <br />Approximately 70 % of the water available for use in Colorado comes during the <br />May though July runoff period. Therefore, the keys to drought preparedness <br />must include storage and runoff forecasting, demand management, interruptible <br />supply arrangements, conjunctive use and other innovative tools to aid in <br />managing Colorado's water resources. While there may be adequate storage to <br />meet today's needs under normal runoff conditions, there is not enough storage <br />to sustain these uses through a severe and sustained period of drought. However, <br />development of additional storage is very expensive, permit intensive, and <br />requires 20 to 30 years from planning to construction. As growth continues in <br />the state, the ability to meet increasing demands and to sustain water. supplies <br />through droughts will become increasingly difficult. Decisions on how future <br />supply demands are met will have to be made in the very near future if the state <br />is to meet those demands. <br />2 <br />