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ing existing storage, rotating agricultural transfers and expanding water conserva- tion — the SWSI team identified each roundtable member's preferred options and led discussions about the benefits and issues of each water supply option. As a result, the decisions were based on shared, not individual, needs. Partici- pants understood each others' interests and sought ways to meet multiple objec- tives with solutions — such as a new or expanded reservoir that included storage for both municipal use and downstream flow enhancement. They also discussed rotating agricultural transfers that would allow agricultural water to be leased to municipalities on a temporary, rotational basis, which can preserve existing agri- culture while providing cities with water in times of drought. The roundtable members also estab- lished relationships that ideally will continue after the initial phase of SWSI concludes this month. "The roundtables were a very good way to bring together diverse stakeholders who ought to be working together but hadn't been," says David Nickum, executive director of Boulder -based Colorado Trout Unlim- ited. "I am encouraged that conserva- tion options associated with municipal and industrial uses will be given serious consideration, and hope that the conver- sations begun between the roundtable participants will help those diverse inter- ests continue to work together." Moving forward In Colorado, the responsibility for water supply planning and development rests with the local and regional water providers. Throughout the state, local water providers have identified ways to meet the majority of the state's increased demand. Strategies for the Arkansas basin include enlarging existing storage reservoirs, acquiring agricultural water rights and transferring them to munici- pal and industrial use, and enhancing water conservation and reuse programs. Current and planned water projects and management options are expected to supply approximately 80 percent of the additional 630,000 acre -feet of water needed by 2030. In spite of the progress, SWSI found that there are no firm plans for the remaining 20 percent, or 126,000 acre - feet per year, of municipal and industrial water needed by 2030. That problem is spread across many of Colorado's eight basins but is greatest in the Arkansas and South Platte basins, whose popula- tions are the fastest growing along the Front Range. The 20 percent gap is partially attrib- utable to the lack of a local government water provider that has the responsibil- ity for providing water supplies to the new growth areas. Other areas have identified potential solutions for meet- ing future water needs, but the ability to implement the solutions is uncer- tain because of permitting or financial constraints. The CWCB plans more basin round- tables to address the problems, and will discuss inter -basin and future water management issues through 2005. The state also will be evaluating approaches to prioritizing stream reaches for flow enhancement; identifying ways for those who will benefit from flow - enhancements to participate financially; assessing inter- state and intra -state compacts governing the use of available water supplies; and assessing the state's role in addressing water management issues. SWSI is the most far - reaching effort ever undertaken to understand Colora- do's water supply and demand. Under- standing the trade -offs between water development and management, and making wise decisions is essential. SWSI has asked Coloradans to shift away from individual, parochial needs and agendas toward recognizing that the water issues facing each basin affect the entire state. By taking both a basin and a statewide approach to managing water resources, SWSI has given the CWCB the compre- hensive perspective needed to provide all Coloradans with safe, sufficient, long- term water supplies. ACC Rod Kuharich is director, and Rick Brown is project manager at the Colorado Water Conservation Board Kelly DiNatale is a prin- cipal, Susan Morea is vice president, and John Relining is an associate in the Denver office of Cambridge, Mass. -based CDM. Reprinted with permission from the December 2004 issue of American City & County.® (www.americancityandcounty.com) Copyright 2005, PRIMEDIA Business Magazines & Media Inc. All rights reserved. AMC -78 -CU consulting • engineering • construction • operations www.cdm.com