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CHAPTER 1 <br />INTRODUCTION <br />1.1 PURPOSE <br />State agencies, water providers and water users are constantly evaluating management of water <br />resources in response to increases in population and demand, droughts, endangered species issues <br />and reductions in Federal water program funding. Water management, for more efficient use of <br />existing supply, is receiving greater attention by State agencies and water providers. As <br />Colorado enters a new era of water management, cooperation among State agencies, water <br />providers and water users is essential so that informed decisions can be made. A comprehensive <br />decision support system (DSS) has been developed for use in the Colorado River and Rio Grande <br />Basins. This DSS provides State of Colorado agencies, water users and managers a better means <br />for organizing, accessing and evaluating a wide range of information and alternative strategies. <br />This, in turn, has helped DSS users make informed decisions regarding major water issues and <br />policy positions. <br />The Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) and the Colorado Division of Water <br />Resources (DWR) have identified a need for and funded the South Platte Decision Support <br />System (SPDSS) Feasibility Study. The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of <br />developing and implementing a DSS with appropriate data and analytical tools for making <br />informed decisions regarding management of the water resources of the South Platte, North <br />Platte and Republican River basins in Colorado. Since the original determination to include the <br />Republican River basin, events have occurred which have resulted in removal of the Republican <br />River basin from further consideration in this Feasibility Study. <br />The results of the SPDSS Feasibility Study will be used by CWCB, DWR and the State <br />Information Management Committee (IMC) to recommend development of the SPDSS to the <br />Colorado General Assembly. The study area for this Feasibility Study encompasses the drainage <br />areas in Colorado of the South Platte River basin and the North Platte River basin. Funding for <br />the SPDSS Feasibility Study has been provided by the CWCB from its Construction Fund under <br />SB99 -173. <br />The SPDSS is intended to support water management decision making for those concerned with <br />South Platte River basin and North Platte River basin water resource issues. The SPDSS must <br />provide State officials, water providers and water users an effective system with which to <br />develop and manage the water resources of these basins. Consequently, the SPDSS Feasibility <br />Study objectives are to: <br />• Determine the feasibility of developing a DSS for the study area with similar components <br />to the other Colorado Decision Support Systems (CDSS), the Colorado River Decision <br />Support System (CRDSS) and the Rio Grande Decision Support System (RGDSS) <br />p:data \gen\spdss\final report \chapter l.doc 1-1 <br />October 31, 2001 <br />