Laserfiche WebLink
<br />. <br /> <br />Impacts observed from the most recent drought by the different water user <br />segments. <br />Limitations to planning for future water supply. <br />Water user needs for structural and non-structural projects to mitigate drought. <br />Use of cooperative agreements to manage drought now and into the future. <br />State role in future drought planning and mitigation efforts <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Based on the results of the opinion survey, water user opinion data was summarized, <br />and issues related to current and future state water policy were identified. <br /> <br />Two issues must be noted with respect to the assessment. First, the results of individual <br />water user surveys are held as confidential between the surveyors and the survey <br />participants. The intent of the assessment was to identify overall water user sentiment <br />statewide, as well as by major river basin and water use type. Individual water use <br />(defined by the amount diverted or stored) and storage data was collected from 55 to <br />67% survey participants (the percentage varies dependant on the water year as some <br />entities did not have data available for all years); however, this information was used to <br />determine the statistical significance of overall and regional responses, and to <br />characterize the diversity of municipal and agricultural respondents. Individual water <br />user responses will not be made available as a result of the Assessment. <br /> <br />Second, the opinion data represent Colorado's water users and as such does not <br />necessarily represent voter sentiment or the opinions of the public at large. Nonetheless, <br />the opinions reflected in the assessment results are indicative of how water users and <br />providers throughout the State of Colorado perceive and understand key water <br />resources issues at this time. <br /> <br />What we learned <br />The assessment was successful in obtaining information that describes the opinions of <br />Colorado's water users statewide, within the seven major water basins, and within each <br />of the selected segments of water use (i.e., municipal, agricultural, industrial, state, <br />federal, water conservancy and conservation districts, power, and other which includes <br />tribes and counties). The overall results, which are presented in Section 2 of the report, <br />can be framed in terms of issues related to the current water situation and the future <br />water situation. <br /> <br />The current water situation was described in terms of: <br /> <br />1. Limitations to current water supply, <br />2. Current levels and types of water management planning and implementation, <br />and <br />3. Current drought (2000 through 2003) impacts. <br /> <br />Opinion data collected to characterize water user distress with regard to the current <br />water situation identified the following issues of widespread concern: <br /> <br />2/1 7/2004 <br /> <br />IV <br />