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recognized as the most recent periods of extended drought and are often used for water supply planning purposes. The drought of 1977 is recognized as the driest single year on record in most basins. 2.3 Water Use and Future Demands While water use information is collected by various users and government agencies daily, it is not compiled in any type of statewide report with any regularity. 1 The last published report on water use for the entire State of Colorado was published by the U.S. Geological Survey in Water-Resource Investigations Report 88-41-1 entitled, "Estimated Use of Water in Colorado, 1985." Figure 2.8 shows summary results for the state. This figure shows that of the 20,844 million gallons used each day in 1985, approximately 75% was returned to the stream system. Further, about 60% of the water diverted is used by irrigated agriculture and an estimated 35 % is used in the generation of electrical power, leaving 5% of Colorado's water use for domestic, commercial, industrial and other purposes. Future demands for water, in particular from the Colorado and South Platte rivers, will continue to increase. Demographic information available for the Front Range area indicates that by the year 2020, this area's population will increase 1,095,000, for a total of 3,830,000 people.2 Metropolitan water supply need projections, taken from the Metropolitan Supply Environmental Impact Statement, estimate a water demand of 703,000 acre-feet by the year 2035. (See Figure 2.9). Current projections for developed water in that year are 418,000 acre-feet, leaving a shortfall of 285,000 acre-feet. This shortfall will have to be satisfied, with the South Platte and Colorado River basins being possible candidates for that supply in the long term. Short term solutions will have to include improved water resource management and water conservation strategies that must be utilized to the fullest extent possible to meet the increasing demand related to growth in the interim, while new projects are being planned and constructed. For example, the Front Range Metropolitan Water Forum was established in 1993 by Governor Romer to explore cooperative approaches to coordinate and integrate the operations of many existing but separate water systems in the Denver Metro area. Since its inception, technical experts have worked closely with the State's consultant, Hydrosphere, in evaluating four areas: conjunctive use, effluent management, interruptable supply anangements, and systems integration. Preliminary results are promising, especially in the area of conjunctive use. A progress report is due late summer of 1995, with final results available in 1996. Also included are Colorado's depletion projections for the Colorado River (Table 2.2). This information is used by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in their planning studies and by the Western Area Power Administration in determining power rates in their project rate of 'Since 1993, the Division of Water Resources has published an Annual Report of the State Engineer which does provide compiled data on total surface water diversions by type of use for the preceding water year. However, it does not provide data on consumptive use or ground water use at this time. 2 The year 1992 is the last year of actual population figures. 11 ! .. ........"11""""..,...._ ....:-:".-..~....,..._~.,. " ""1;.,- ~, . .-~...-~."'-..-'""'.,"~.-.,,-.--,----'~.~....-- --.- ~ - <,-" '-'-"--'-'l'I"'I