PUB00108

• Year: 1986
• Title: St. Vrain Basin Reconnaissance Study
• CWCB Section: Administration
• Author: Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority
• Description: Extensive study for future study and development toward meeting the water-related needs of residents with the St. Vrain Basin
• Publications - Doc Type: Brochure

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B. Public Information and Involvement Program

A comprehensive Publ ic Informat ion and Involvement Program (Pro-
gram) was conducted as an integral part of the Study. The purposes of the
Program were twofold: (1) to inform the publ ic as to the objectives and
progress of the Study, and (2) to provide opportunities for publ ic input to
the Management Committee and Study Team during the entire Study process. A
Study Advisory Committee, comprised of 16 persons representing local and
regional interests in the Study Area was formed to provide advice to the Man-
agement Committee and to serve as a liaison between the general public and the
Management Committee.

The Study Advisors met eight times with the Management Committee
and Study Team in formal sessions through December 1985, all of which were
open to the general public and news media. The Advisors also participated in
a public values assessment which was used to identify needs and values of the
various interest groups in the Basin. The Advisors provided comments on draft
task memoranda, Study reports, and prel iminary alternative plans for water
resource development.

C. Study Process

In general, the Study process included investigations, synthesis of
alternative plans, and evaluations performed by the Study Team, with continual
interaction, comment, and review by the Management Committee and by the Study
Advisors. This process, although requiring a longer time span to complete the
Study as compared to use of a more traditional approach, is more I ikely to
engender a broad base of support for the Study findings and recommendations.
The various community interests are carried forward with each element of the
Study so that the end product does not contain unanticipated or unacceptable
results from the perspective of the local water resources community.

Step 1 of the Study identified potential water management purposes
including municipal, industrial, and agricultural water supply, enhancement of
fish and wildlife, improvement or protection of water quality, water-based
recreation (reservoir and stream corridor), flood damage reduction, and hydro-
electric power generation. Major parts of the Step 1 effort included prep-
aration of an inventory of Basin water resources, irrigated land acreage,
population and other characteristics of the Basin. Future demands or water
requirements (in the caSe of irrigated agriculture) were compi led for current
conditions and forecast up to year 2020. A projection of electric power
demand to year 2020 was also made, but this projection was based on an area to
which such power might be marketed, rather than on needs of the St. Vrain
Basin.

Provision of water suppl ies for present and future needs of the
three sectors mentioned above was identified in Step 2 as the primary water
management purpose to be served by the plans to be formulated. The other
potential water management purposes were addressed to the extent they could

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