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<br />Chapter 17
<br />Findings, Recommendations, and Initial Implementation Steps
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<br />The state may have numerous roles in supporting the effectiveness of
<br />local and regional public education and involvement efforts, as
<br />identified by water users. First and foremost, the state could promote
<br />the broadcast of consistent messaging from all water users regarding
<br />drought response, water conservation, and the similarities and
<br />differences between these two programs. Messaging within media
<br />sheds, as well as across media sheds, is often inconsistent and! or
<br />conflicting (e.g., different municipalities have different timing and
<br />types of lawn watering restrictions). The state could provide
<br />resources to help reduce the inconsistent and conflicting messages
<br />provided by neighboring water users. In addition, the state could
<br />provide resources to help the citizens of the state better understand
<br />the seriousness and need for meaningful water conservation during
<br />periods of no drought - in part to help local and regional efforts.
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<br />The state could also promote general education policies within our
<br />primary and secondary schools to give school aged children a basic
<br />understanding of where our water comes from, its relative scarcity,
<br />and how important water conservation and drought response
<br />programs are to sustain the Colorado life style and related quality of
<br />life. In addition, state resources can be used to provide citizens access
<br />to water information through public workshops, water fairs, state
<br />web sites and technical forums.
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<br />Support infrastructure needs of water users
<br />Colorado's water users identified a plethora of infrastructure needs
<br />statewide. Most prominent was the need for more new or expanded
<br />water storage for the benefit of all water users. Storage of water
<br />(including both surface water and groundwater) was followed by
<br />identified needs to transport water from storage facilities or water
<br />sources to water users via pipelines, canals, and ditches. Water users
<br />also identified significant needs for repair and rehabilitation of
<br />existing infrastructure (e.g., dams, diversion structures, water
<br />treatment facilities, etc.) to improve water availability and reliability.
<br />
<br />The state could provide additional funding mechanisms to support
<br />both local and regional water development and infrastructure
<br />improvement projects - beyond the funding programs that are
<br />currently available through the CPWRA and the CWCB. The state
<br />could also provide resources to help leverage federal funding
<br />programs that could be used to support local and regional water
<br />projects.
<br />
<br />The state could also provide mechanisms and resources to facilitate
<br />diverse water interests in the identification and evaluation of multi-
<br />basin water projects that have been preliminarily identified by water
<br />users as important to support current and future water supply needs.
<br />This facilitation effort could lead to both a group of identified projects
<br />that can be built to provide water, and to a sustainable process that
<br />
<br />11/12/2003
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