Laserfiche WebLink
Statement of Intent <br /> The State of Colorado's Water agencies, the Division of Water Resources and the Colorado <br /> Water Conservation Board, as part of a project called the Colorado River Decision Support <br /> System (CRDSS), obtain and analyze data on irrigated acreage, crop types, irrigation <br /> structures, water rights, and the resulting consumptive use of water on the West Slope of <br /> Colorado. These agencies are herein referred to as "the State". <br /> The United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) obtains and analyzes data on irrigated <br /> acreage and crop types on the West Slope of Colorado as part of their obligation to calculate <br /> and publish a Consumptive Use and Loss Report every fifth year. <br /> Because of our need for similar data, from 1991 to 1996 the State and the USBR cooperated <br /> on a project to obtain ortho-photographic data used to identify and delineate the field <br /> boundaries and crop types for all irrigated acreage throughout the entire West Slope of <br /> Colorado. This successful joint project provided a foundation of digital data from which change <br /> can be monitored and quantified. <br /> Both agencies require periodic updates of their data. It is expected that future updates will rely <br /> on satellite imagery rather than photographic data now that satellite imagery has become <br /> affordable. <br /> The change from paper ortho-photographs to digital satellite imagery required some changes <br /> in the methods of analyzing the data. The State felt it was necessary to conduct a thorough <br /> investigation of the effects of the change to satellite data. The State also investigated how to <br /> best work cooperatively with the USBR in the future to provide all the necessary information to <br /> both entities with minimal duplication of effort. <br /> These are the final recommendations resulting from the pilot study performed by The State. <br /> The State and the USBR performed this Pilot project to assess the feasibility of using satellite <br /> imagery to provide data on irrigated vs. non-irrigated acreage, crop type, and delineated field <br /> boundaries with their associated diversion structures. This project also determined the optimal <br /> cooperative efforts between the USBR and the State in the collection and analysis of this data. <br /> This pilot project focused on the Grand Junction and Clifton Quadrangles, a small region of the <br /> West Slope. <br /> Summary of Results <br /> This pilot project has successfully proven that completing the irrigated acreage study on the West <br /> Slope is feasible, and that a cooperative arrangement with the USBR can benefit both the State and <br /> the Federal governments. <br /> 2 <br />