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EVITaR
<br />Energy and Water
<br />by Robert Ward (Director, CWRRI)
<br />Energy and water are inextricably bound in our
<br />economy and other social institutions. The nexus
<br />between energy and water can be viewed from a variety
<br />of perspectives -- taking on several meanings - -as recent
<br />events have shown. First, water is associated with the
<br />production of energy (e.g. in producing hydropower,
<br />cooling coal -fired electric generating plants, and pro-
<br />duction of coalbed methane, see articles beginning on
<br />page 4). Energy, on the other hand, is associated with
<br />the acquisition, treatment and distribution of water (e.g.
<br />desalination, wastewater treatment and potable water
<br />delivery). The relationship between water and energy is
<br />much more closely linked than many people realize.
<br />The close linkage between water and energy was
<br />discussed at a National Renewable Energy Labora-
<br />tory (NREL) workshop in February (a summary of the
<br />workshop is presented on page 16 in this issue of Colo-
<br />rado Water). The workshop explored the water- energy
<br />nexus, pointing out relationships that could be troubling.
<br />For example, the recent move toward more `off main -
<br />stem' dams, to address environmental concerns, may
<br />introduce a larger dependence upon energy to store and
<br />deliver water at an acceptable cost. In addition, the re-
<br />lationship between water and energy can also compound
<br />an impact of drought (shortage of water) or an energy
<br />crisis (shortage of energy).
<br />The workshop concluded by noting opportunities to
<br />further examine the water- energy nexus with the goal
<br />of improving management and planning. These oppor-
<br />tunities include fully integrating water- energy manage-
<br />ment strategies; using more cost/benefit and risk/retum
<br />information in integrating water - energy management;
<br />and improve the demand side of water - energy planning
<br />and management.
<br />Patty Rettig, on page 12, notes evidence of the the wa-
<br />ter- energy nexus in the collections contained in Morgan
<br />Library's Water Resources Archive. In particular, she
<br />describes the Goslin Collection plans for water projects
<br />funded under the Colorado Water Resources and Power
<br />Development Authority — an agency name that, in itself,
<br />recognizes the water- energy nexus.
<br />A second meaning arising from the combination of
<br />energy and water can be the human energy needed to
<br />allocate, and reallocate, water in a semi -arid state where
<br />the difference between demand and supply continues to
<br />grow and shift as population increases. The Colorado
<br />Legislature recently passed HB 05 -1177 — legislation
<br />that creates a series of Water Roundtables to harness
<br />human energy, in a constructive manner, to seek options
<br />for solving future water supply shortages in Colorado.
<br />While the conflict over water is not new to the West,
<br />neither is the value of dialogue and negotiation in re-
<br />solving water disputes. Delph Carpenter realized in the
<br />early 1900s that water conflicts between states, resolved
<br />in the Supreme Court, reduced, if not eliminated, the
<br />ability of local citizens to have an influence over the
<br />future of their water resources. The value of good data,
<br />in supporting water negotiations, was also highlighted
<br />in the Colorado River Compact negotiations (when the
<br />long -term water availability was over estimated). The
<br />Statewide Water Supply Initiative's (SWSI) overview
<br />of Colorado's water supply, current and future demands,
<br />as well as current plans to meet the demand as input,
<br />provides a firm factual basis for the proposed new
<br />Roundtables. Thus, Colorado is well positioned to ap-
<br />preciate, again, the value of dialogue and negotiation in
<br />attempting to bring all parties to recognize and address
<br />new water demands, values, and solutions in creating an
<br />agreed upon water future for Colorado.
<br />Colorado Water provides its readers insight into the
<br />emerging science, technology, thought, and policy that
<br />is produced by Colorado's higher education system. As
<br />an example, on page 24, an article by Mesa State Col-
<br />lege History Professor Steven Schulte, discusses lessons
<br />learned in seeking East Slope — West Slope agreement
<br />in the 201'' century to solve earlier water supply short-
<br />ages.
<br />As the Water Roundtables are organized and imple-
<br />mented, CWRRI stands ready, as does all of higher
<br />education, to contribute to the dialogue in a constructive
<br />manner. Hopefully, new insight, combined with con-
<br />structive dialogue in the Roundtables, can energize the
<br />search for consensus in resolving water allocation and
<br />use conflicts in Colorado.
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