PUB00135

• Year: 1993
• Title: Issues Associated with Out-of-Basin Water Transfers ‎(Draft - For discussion purposes only)‎
• CWCB Section: Interstate & Federal
• Author: Maxwell and Ward
• Description: Examination of questions arising from the controversy surrounding out-of-basin water transfers
• Publications - Doc Type: Historical

provide a significant source of tourist dollars. A thorough
analysis of any particular transfer should take these
beneficiaries into account.

In addition, quality requirements of different water uses
and the quality of their return flow may conflict. The
cumulative effect of agricultural salts and chemicals reduces
usability of instream flows. This water would have to treated to
bring it up to required standards for municipal and domestic use.
Untreated or partially treated return flow reduces the quality
and quantity of game fish, and may reduce the desirability of the
water for swimming and boating.

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. ' . . .. . . ....- .~.. " .-,."," ,":
Quest'ions: Should water continue to be,ufu!d:'as: ".
" a tooltopromoteurba,ndevelopment?:::Eiow':mticli,{
'watershould cities be .ableto:,acquire.:.bey6rid ,

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cities? What does the public. think about ci''t'1es
acquiring large amounts of water ,perhaps 'to 'the'
detriment of the public's use of water for other
needs, such as recreation and agriculture?

Information needs: amount oi,:water currently:'
~owned by cities, water needed' by cities:.'to<":.,;' ,
protect against drought c:onditions,alterna.tiV:~
.:institutional/legal..mechanislII!l;;avulable>tci:Y';':!%;,

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'. ',needed- for recreation-. both::. .c~~ni:J.y'.:..and:"~ ..,:;/-:>::::;~;:< .:....
projected, water needed to support agricultura,
water needed to maintain ecologicalintegrity~
public opinion on priorities on water. use,' ...,..
and amount and location of :water to meet these
uses.
..

MOVING FROM APPROPRIATION TO REALLOCATION

Colorado's population and economy are growing and with them,
demands on Colorado's water supply. At the same time, good dam
and reservoir sites are becoming scarcer, as is political and
financial support for their construction. These trends have led
to an increase in the purchase of water rights to be transferred
to new locations and used in new ways. Frequently, these water
rights are agricultural water rights purchased by municipalities
for urban use.

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