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<br />d. Cost of future vater development: If a large portion of <br />the water rights of a particular area are purchased and <br />exported, there mayor may not be alternative sources of <br />water that can be developed economically for the area-of- <br />origin. Whether the cost of developing the sources is <br />feasible must take into consideration the economic survival <br />of the area after the transfer takes place. The tax base <br />including both taxable property and taxable income of the' <br />residents, must remain strong enough to support the <br />development of new water resources, assuming there are such <br />sources to be tapped. <br /> <br />social <br /> <br />a. Declining rural lifestyle: The removal of timber and <br />minerals from an area can provide a continuing source of <br />jobs, income, and taxes. The removal of water, however, <br />does not typically have the same effect. On the other hand <br />over two-thirds of Colorado's population lives in urbanized' <br />areas, where water imports can generate jobs in excess of <br />those lost in the exporting area. A cost-benefit analysis <br />of a partiCUlar transfer of water from one area to another <br />may show more jobs created in the area-of-need than lost in <br />the area-of-origin as a result of the transfer. <br /> <br />In addition, the percentage of the populace involved in <br />agriculture, and those living in rural areas, has been <br />declining for some time and began that decline before the <br />purchase of agricultural water rights for urban use became <br />much used. How much of the decline is or will be <br />attributable to water transfers would require extensive <br />analysis. <br /> <br />Environmental: Hixed Impacts <br /> <br />The current state of the art is not sufficient to have a <br />single list of criteria of water quality issues to apply to every <br />circumstance. The environmental impact of each transfer must be <br />specifically studied. The gathering and analyzing of site- <br />specific data increases the cost of the transfer. The following <br />examples are illustrative. <br /> <br />If water is used for irrigation, the flow returning to the <br />stream may carry with it pesticide and fertilizer residue, in <br />addition to salts accumulated as it percolates through the soil. <br />If the consumptively used portion of the water is transferred, <br />the remaining flow will be less saline and will increase the <br />dilution ability of the water flowing in the stream. However, if <br />water currently flowing downstream from Colorado to other states <br />is appropriated and used within colorado, the dilution capacity <br />of the water flowing out of state is reduced. The water left in <br />the stream after tranSferring the consumptively used water may be <br /> <br />13 <br />