Correspondences Related to CREST and Funding of CREST Program

• Description: Correspondences Related to CREST and Funding of CREST Program
• State: CO
• Title: Correspondences Related to CREST and Funding of CREST Program
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Correspondence

COLORADO RIVER. ENHANCED SNOWPACK TEST
CREST IN PERSPECTIVE
needed for industrial growth,
The Colorado River is a source of
irrigation, hydroelectric power
generation, development of energy
water to over half the population of
reserves, wildlife habitat, and
eleven Western States. It is quite
environmental and recreational uses.
possibly the most "managed" river in
The increased demand is accompanied
the world.. Presently the Colorado
by additional problems of increased
River, and its tributaries are
salinity levels and other water
controlled by a system of dams and
quality problems created in large
reservoirs which store approximately
60 million acre -feet of water,
measure by man's use and reuse of the
produce 12 billion kilowatts of
water.
hydroelectric power annually, and
Present trends-indicate that water
provide irrigation water for -
thousands of acres of cropland.
shortages will begin to occur perhaps
as early as the year 2000, and grow
The demands placed on the Colorado
.increasingly more severe thereafter.
In the not -to- distant future, demands
River are diverse and intense. Even
may exceed natural flow in the
with improved management of the river
Colorado River by several million
and the growing emphasis on
acre -feet per year.
conservation, demand for water will
eventually exceed its availability.
Quite simply put, the Colorado River
While the amount of water in the
needs more water. CREST, (the
Colorado remains constant, the
Colorado River Enhanced Snowpack
requirements of an expanding
Test), has the potential of meeting
population are increasing. Water is
that need.