Update on Statewide Water Supply Initiative - San Juan/Dolores/San Miguel Basin

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Update on Statewide Water Supply Initiative — San Juan /Dolores/San Miguel Basin identified how the major water suppliers plan on meeting their 2030 demands. This inventory of solutions includes conservation, water reuse, water transfers, enlargement and re- operation of facilities, and new facilities. Examples of some of the projects include: Colorado Spring's Southern Delivery System, Denver's north system improvements, Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District's Windy Gap Firming Project and Northern Integrated Supply Plan (NISP), greater utilization of Ruedi and Wolford mountain reservoirs in the Colorado River drainage, and enlargement of Elkhead Reservoir in the Yampa /White /Green Basin. A more complete list of how our future needs will be met is still under development. Once it is developed, we will have a full understanding of how much remaining unmet need there will be and begin to focus on how to close the remaining gap between supply and demand in the year 2030. SWSI has identified that most water providing entities are actively planning for future demand and have identified key projects to meet this demand. It is essential that these plans and projects move forward. If they do not move forward, alternative solutions will need to be implemented. SWSI has also found that the greatest needs for state assistance in meeting future water needs are with rural and small water providers and agricultural users. Statewide Agricultural Demands The Colorado Decision Support System (CDSS) modeling tool was used to estimate existing agricultural water demands in the Colorado, Gunnison, Rio Grande, San Juan/ Dolores / San Miguel, and the Yampa / White / Green Basins. Agricultural use in the Arkansas, North Platte, and South Platte Basins were estimated using a variety of available sources. Table 3 presents an estimate of current irrigated acres and average total diversions (in AF) over a period of record for each basin. It is important to note that the number of irrigated acres may vary on an annual basis for each basin over the period of record. Table 3 Preliminary Statewide Aaricultural Demands Current Estimated Basin Irri gated Arkansas 1 538,100 Average .. sic v i 1,769,900 Period of Record for g• Diversions 1999 —2001 Colorado 237,700 1,986,900 1975 —1990 San Juan /Dolores /San Miguel 254,900 810,100 1975 -1990 Gunnison 263,500 1,726,000 1950 —2000 North Platte 95,700 396,900 1993 -2002 Rio Grande 632,700 1,514,500 1950-1997 South Platte 1,003,500 2,545,500 1993 -2002 Yam aMhite /Green 118,500 629,900 t 1975 —1990 TOTAL 3,144,600 1 11379 700 1 - * Arkansas. South Platte and Rio Grande Basins include estimates of alluvial aroundwater Dumoina Agriculture represents approximately 91 percent of water used in Colorado for agricultural, municipal and industrial (M &I), and self - supplied industrial (SSI) purposes (Figure 2). SWSI projections indicate that it will make up 86 percent of the SWSI Update — SJDSM Basin