Arkansas River Basin Facts September 2000

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Arkansas River Basin Facts Colloradc, `,!later Conservation Board VValden + Sterling + Greeley Meeker Glenwood ° Denver Grand Springs: Burlington Junction Colorado Springs - - -,i Gunnison Pueblo • La Junta Namosa - • Durango The Arkansas River begins in the central mountains near Leadville and tlovvs south and east to Kansas. Appro_xinnately one - quarter of the state is drained by the Arkansas River. Principal tributaries include Fountain, Timpas and Grape Creeks; and St. Charles, lluerfano, Apishapa, and Purgatoire Rivers. Irrigation is the major water use in the basin, with about 2.0 t- pillion acre -feet diverted for irrigation in 1998 out of total diversions of 3.7 million acre - feet. There is substantial reliance on groundwater in the basin for irrigation uses. Recreational use is an economic mainstay in the headwater region, with some of the best fishing and river rafting in the nation. Septernber 2000 Fountain Creek Water Conservancy Districts Arkansas River North La Junta Purgatoire River Southeastern Colorado Upper Arkansas Surface Water Diversions in Acre -feet by Use i w Water Year a Total 3,733,511 3,418,258 Source: Colorado Division of Water Resources, Division 2 Annual Reports Growth i Bill Owens Governor Greg E. Walcher DNR Executive Director Dan McAuliffe CWCB Acting Director Harold E. Miskel CWCB Member, Arkansas River Basin The basin is comprised of all or part of 19 counties. Between 1990 and 1998, the population in this region increased by 22 percent and now accounts for 19.9 percent of the total state population. The graph below outlines populations for the portions of the counties that are in the basin. A recent study by the Southeastern Colorado eater Conservancy District suggests that 173,000 acre -feet of addi- tional storage will be needed to support growth in the basin through 2040. Arkansas River Basin Population by County 600 Total Basin Population ❑1990 x1998 500 m a 0 400 0 0 0 300 0 5 200 ao LI 1s9n sazsnn a�0 a�ya �5`e corn taro o0 a�Q Qayo ° "5 Gr cp G Q e ire �Qc O Q o Q� red Q Jr �a G Source: Colorado Department of Local Affairs Additional information about this river basin is 1 available at http: / /cwcb,state.co.us 1998 (AF) 1997 (AF) 11 Irrigation 2,0321962 1,935,335 ®Storage 1,346,924 1,147,941 ❑Municipal 172,850 145,977 ❑ Industrial 146,272 145,526 * Commercial 2,053 251 ❑ Domestic 128 175 ❑ Stock 483 643 ❑ Recreation 17 17 ■Fish 26,292 21,891 ❑ Augmentation 2,892 18,374 ❑ Recharge 2,638 2128 Total 3,733,511 3,418,258 Source: Colorado Division of Water Resources, Division 2 Annual Reports Growth i Bill Owens Governor Greg E. Walcher DNR Executive Director Dan McAuliffe CWCB Acting Director Harold E. Miskel CWCB Member, Arkansas River Basin The basin is comprised of all or part of 19 counties. Between 1990 and 1998, the population in this region increased by 22 percent and now accounts for 19.9 percent of the total state population. The graph below outlines populations for the portions of the counties that are in the basin. A recent study by the Southeastern Colorado eater Conservancy District suggests that 173,000 acre -feet of addi- tional storage will be needed to support growth in the basin through 2040. Arkansas River Basin Population by County 600 Total Basin Population ❑1990 x1998 500 m a 0 400 0 0 0 300 0 5 200 ao LI 1s9n sazsnn a�0 a�ya �5`e corn taro o0 a�Q Qayo ° "5 Gr cp G Q e ire �Qc O Q o Q� red Q Jr �a G Source: Colorado Department of Local Affairs Additional information about this river basin is 1 available at http: / /cwcb,state.co.us