1981 CO Drought Plan - Laserfiche WebLink

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COLORADO DROUGHT RESPONSE PLAN - DESCRIPTION In recent years, Colorado has repeatedly faced serious water shortages. The droughts of the 1930's and 1950's impacted the State in many ways for several years. The drought of 1976-77 was not as long in duration but the consequences were as intense and very costly. Now, in 1981 another drought has started which may generate costly impacts. Drought impacts Colorado in many ways, but water intensive activities such as agriculture, wildfire fighting, municipal usage, commerce, industry, tourism and wildlife preservation are highly susceptible to drought impact. The economy of the State or geographic sectors of the State have been and can be seriously depressed. Water shortages leading to drought develop because of significant change in expected conditions bf supply and demand. Since Coloradots population and water usage in key activities are continuing to grow, demand for water is rising at a steady rate. Available supplies have also increased over the years through a variety of structural (dams) and non-structural (cloud seeding, conservation) means, but the State's ability to create new levels of supply is marginal . In recent years, demands have been increasing faster than supplies, so that the tolerance to deal with water shortages is diminish- ing. As climate and conservation practice fluctuate, the balance between supply and demand is likely to be disrupted more and more frequently. In the future, droughts are likely to be more frequent and costly. BACKGROUND OF DROUGHT RESPONSE PLANNING IN COLORADO. The drought of the 1930's was exacerbated by poor farming techniques, low market prices and a depressed economy. impacts on the State and across much of the Great Plains were severe; population migration away from farming was an important consequence. A variety of adjustments ensued: improved agricultural manage- ment, the establishment of insurance programs, liberalization of credit, and diversification of the regional economy. These adjustments moderated the drought in the early 1950's; impacts were much less severe although clima, tological conditions were not that different from those of the dust bowl era. Conclusions From Past Drought Efforts. In the 1976-77 drought, Colorado State government assumed a lead role in activating Federal and local governments as well as statewide public conservation practices. In the process of making these adjustments it was apparent that timely and accurate provisions of data on impact development was crucial to effective response. The diversity, complexity, and abiguity of drought impacts blurred identification of the alternative actions available to decision makers. Both physical and social impact data were needed; that is, know- ledge about the location, kind and degree of water shortage can lead to better identification of the kinds of impacts on society that can follow.. In turn, these societal impacts provide the framework for the governmental and public adjustments that may be required, Furthermore, a systematic development of problem areas and potential solutions was obviously essential to effective and frugal government response, so that "under" and "over'" reactions could be minimized. Other important conclusions stressed the need 4nd the importance of: (1) the careful integration of response, i .e. , private, public and governmental , and (2) the maintenance of established channels of responsibility as drought intensifies. Finally, A-1