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<br />
<br />4
<br />
<br />MARCH 1981
<br />change in District Allotment COntraclS for th _ , WR 1
<br />from 1957 through 1979 (Fig, 4), In 1957 ;o~umcIPal-domestic class of service
<br />CBr Project supply was allotted for this 'u example, only 16% of the total
<br />available project supply is currently aII~l::o~e. In contrast, 35% of the total
<br />this suggests~ of course, that land rev' or u~e. un~er this class. All of
<br />convened to urbanization or dry-I~d f loU~ly under Imgatlon is gradually being
<br />Recent a aI ' f annmg,
<br />n YSlS 0 land conversion within the bo .
<br />Ihat SOme 40,000 acres to 60,000 acres (16200 h undanes of the District Suggests
<br />fann,land has been convened to su o~ ur at? 24,300 ~a) of mostly irrigated
<br />of this conversion occurring in the p;:'i de d bSlllzalIon Smce 1957, with mOst
<br />Smce water rights in Colorado ar ca e Or ,so (Fig, 2).
<br />e propeny nghts, the value of which is
<br />
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<br /> 10,0
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<br /> 5,0
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<br />1979rutal
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<br />NO~r.:~r (ktember Jan~aly Fe:x",:y Mart~
<br />
<br />luly AU2oslSeOlem!lerDctober
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<br />A~I>1 May
<br />Dlstllcl water y!31
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<br />FIG. 3.-Municipal-Dofflestic W r 0
<br />servancy District ate emands Within Nonhern Colorado Water Con-
<br />
<br />established by the rules of supply and de '
<br />a1~0 be illustrated by the rapid escalatio:~d, lhe Impact of urbanization can
<br />patd for CBT Project water by various ' the average Umt purchase price
<br />escalation in pricing can, to alar e users SlIlce 1957 (Fig, 5), This tremendous
<br />for domestic and industrial g degree, be attnbuted to the high demand
<br />th water supplies and lh bili'
<br />e area to off~r a maximum dollar value fo' e a ty of ,those users within
<br />~re usually qUIte attractive to many farm r 11. The econODlICS of the situation
<br />lirtle change in the net return On theirproduct.e~: ~h~ in reCent years have seen
<br />therefore, to acquire irrigation water right ~1 ~ t as ~een a ~egular occurrence,
<br />as a result of a negotiated agreement ~ ~r omestlc and mdustrial purposes
<br />Condemnation through eminent doma' ~ ween the parties, as opposed to
<br />In on t e part of the municipalities.
<br />
<br />WRl WATER SUPPLIES 5
<br />
<br />Obviously growth cannot occur at the fate seen in the area without the n~ed
<br />to develop additional water supplies for expanding public utilities and new are"
<br />industries, Since approximately 1970, Public Service Company of Colorado,
<br />for example, has put on line one nuclear plant and is nearing completion on
<br />another coal-flIed steam plant within 'he boundaries of the District. In addition,
<br />Platte River Power Authority, the electrical utility ann of four major cities
<br />in the District, has begun construction of a coal-fired steam plant in the area.
<br />Total installed capacity of these plants will be approximately 1,080 MW with
<br />a maximum expandable capacity to approximately 3,580 MW_ The water suppl,
<br />requirements for these new plants will range from approximately 16,000 acre.ft
<br />to 47,400 acre.ft (19,700,000 m' to 58,400,000 m ') at maximum installed cap.cit"
<br />Ofimportancc here is the fact that these water requirements are 100% consumptive
<br />in use, In addition, industries such as Kodak of Co lara do, IBM, Hewlett.Packard,
<br />Water Pik, and Woodward Governor continue to expand their operations in
<br />this area, and consequently their need for industrial and domestic water continue~
<br />
<br />"
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<br />-
<br /> 35'-
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<br />
<br />fiG. 4.-Nenhern Colorado Water Conservancy District: Municipal-Domestic Allot.
<br />ments Contracts
<br />
<br />The growth in Nonhe..tern Color.do as projected will probably continue
<br />to occur along the Easteru Front.RaD!e of the Rocky Mountains upstream of
<br />most primary irrigated lands. Tbis, coupled with the fact that the area's
<br />consumptive use for domestic purposes is less than that for irrigated agriculture.
<br />could theoretically provide levels of return flow available for use on irrigated
<br />lands downstream to the degree that a projected population of approximately
<br />1,000,000 could conceivably still suppon up to 700,000 acres (283,000 ha) of
<br />irricated farm land with no significant change in present basin water supplies,
<br />This would depend to a large extent on the ability to reuse existing water supplies
<br />without injury to downstream uses.
<br />
<br />NEW WATER SU....Ly AlTEAtlATIVES
<br />
<br />Obviously, . solution to some of these impacts-shon of some unknown
<br />type of rigid growth control-is another water supply for the sole purpose
<br />of supporting reasonable planned growth, This would help keep intact over
<br />
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