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~) "-----.._-~- '~I''IJ'IMI '1 "I NATUHA] RFSl ">l..'llJ T.::. ~5VVSI Slolewide Water Supply Initiative Major Findings of SWSI SWS! explored all aspects of Colorado's water use and development on both a statewide and an individual basin basis. Major findings based on technical analyses and feedback gathered through Basin Roundtable input include: 1. Significant increases in Colorado's population - together with agricultural water needs and an increased focus on recreational and environmental uses - will intensify competition for water. 2. Projects and processes that local M&! providers are implementing or planning to implement have the ability to meet 90 percent of Colorado's M&! water needs through 2030. 3. To the extent that these identified M&! projects and processes are not successfully implemented, Colorado could see a significantly greater reduction in irrigated agricultural lands as M&! water providers seek additional permanent transfers of agricultural water rights to provide for the demands that would otherwise have been met by these projects. 4. Supplies are not necessarily where demands are; localized shortages exist, compact entitlements are not fully utilized. 5. Increased reliance on nonrenewable, nontributary groundwater for permanent water supply brings serious reliability and sustainability concerns. 6. In-basin solutions can resolve gaps between M&! supply and demand, but there will be tradeoffs and impacts on other users - especially agriculture and the environment. 7. Water conservation will be relied on as a major tool for meeting future M&l demands, but conservation alone cannot meet all of Colorado's future needs. 8. Environmental and recreational needs for water will increase with population growth, and water-based recreation is a major industry in many parts of the state. Without a mechanism to fund environmental and recreational enhancement beyond the project mitigation measures required by law, conflicts between M&!, agricultural, recreational and environmental users will intensify. 9. The ability of smaller, rural water providers and agricultural water users to adequately address their existing and future water needs is significantly limited by their financial capacities. 10. While SWSI evaluated water needs and solutions through 2030, very few M&! water providers have identified supplies beyond 2030. Beyond 2030, growing demands may require greater cooperation and more aggressive solutions. COM DRAFT