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<br />Board to support the necessary conservation, storage and delivery systems. <br /> <br />The Colorado Water Conservation Board desires to engage the services of a <br /> <br />professional contractor in order to accomplish this critical project. <br /> <br />II. BackgrQund <br /> <br />Drought is a naturally occurring part of the climatic cycle in Colorado. Our unique <br /> <br />topography and geography contribute to variation$ in annual precipitation from seven to over fifty <br /> <br />inches within a linear range of about two hundred miles. The average along the Front Range <br /> <br />where the majority of the state's population resides, is about <br /> <br />seventeen inches. Although improving with technological, research and communication advances, <br /> <br />the accurate prediction of long-term drought rema.ins an elusive process. Our brief recorded <br /> <br />history d~es indicate five dry periods in a range of two to twelve years in duration since 1893. The <br /> <br />.' <br />last major drought penod was from 1951 to 1957. <br /> <br />Currently, the state is in a prolonged wet period which began in 1981 however, there have, <br /> <br />been short term, regional dry situations around the st~te during this time. Impacts from drought <br /> <br />have been regionally severe in 1976-77, 1980-81, 19$9-90,1994, 1996 and 2000. It would be <br /> <br />unusual, but not impossible for the entire state to be in a long-term drought at the same time. <br /> <br />All of Colorado's water comes from the various forms of precipitation. The vast <br /> <br />majority of Colorado's water comes from snowpack $upplemented by some rain events. <br />, . <br /> <br />Snowmelt is either stored in reservoirs or diverted frbm rivers and streams. Groundwater <br /> <br />2 <br /> <br />( <br /> <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />e <br />