PUB00057

• Year: 1978
• Title: The Colorado Water Study Directions for the Future
• CWCB Section: Water Conservation & Drought Planning
• Author: EDO DNR
• Description: First publicatiom of the Colorado Water Study volumes
• Publications - Doc Type: Brochure

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ANALYSIS OF IMPACTS

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Water-using activities have direct and demonstrable impacts on
several basic social values. In particular, the water study will
examine the impact of water allocation alternatives on:

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1. economic well-being;

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2. employment opportunities;

3. the aesthetic quality of urban surroundings;

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4. opportunities for a rural agricultural lifestyle; and

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5. water-based recreational opportunities.

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For each of these values, impacts will be expressed in terms of an
indicator, or "yards tick, II which empirically measures the effect of
an alternative on that value. For example, personal income will be
used as the measure of economic well-being. Such indicators are neces-
sary in order to give concrete meaning to abstractly stated values,
although they can sometimes substantially restrict the range of meaning
associated with a value.

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The rationale for choosing each of the above values is discussed
below, and the "yardstick" associated with each is also illustrated.

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ECONOMIC WELL-BEING

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Needless to say, everyone is concerned about his or her economic
welfare. The water study will measure economic impacts by estimating
changes in the total personal income of C0loradans which would result
if various water-using activities were either to increase or decrease.
These estimates will be derived from an input-output model of the
Colorado economy which has been developed at Colorado State University.
They will include the "ripple" effects which occur throughout the
state's economy when an activity takes place.

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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

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The opportunity to be employed necessarily goes hand in hand with
the concern for one's economic well-being. In order to measure the

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