BOARD02036

• Board Meeting Date: 9/24/2001
• Description: CF Section - Investments - South Platte River Decision Support System Year 2
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

Agenda item
September 24-25, 2001 meeting
Page 12 of 15

. A basin-wide water resource planning model (StateMod) that will operate on both a
monthly and daily time step and includes 100 percent of the basin's consumptive use, The
existing StateMod model will be enhanced to' include river call reporting by node and
time step, and will incorporate the updated H;ydroBase data described previously, This
sustainable tool will be avail!,lble to water u~ers, the CWCB and DWR for planning
purposes.

. An enhanced gronndwater model for the Denver Basin and Overlying Alluvium Region
that operates on a monthly time step and utilizes a one-quarter to one-square mile grid,
This model will be the original SB 96-74 groundwater model with the addition of the
alluvial aquifers, for a total of seven layers, 'This enhanced model will facilitate better
quantitative understanding of flows between tlJ'e rivers, alluvial aquifer and the nnderlying
Denver Basin aquifers, and among the penver Basin aquifers, This enhanced
groundwater model will allow unique trMtm~nt of each Denver Basin aquifer and the
overlying alluvium, Estimates of well pUlhping will be refined significantly compared to
the existing Denver Basin model.

. A groundwater flow model of the Lower South Platte Alluvium Region (from the
Stateline upstream to approximately Weldona) that operates on a monthly time step,
There is no existing groundwater model for this region, Consequently, water users, the
CWCB and DWR will now have access to; a tool to help in the planning of water
resources development as well as the manageIt1ent of water resources in this region,

. Access to historic priority call data via the Internet and CDs that will help the water users
understand how the river was administered to better understand future administration

. Addition of new methodologies for calculating consumptive use, such as adding the
Kimberly Penman method to StateCU to make the tool more versatile

. Access to current and historic satellite image~ and maps of irrigated lands throughout the
South Platte River Basin, With the historical irrigated land delineated, water users, the
CWCB and DWR can better understand gro~th trends and water development potential
as well as areas of potential conflict. .

. Access to a GIS network of surface water hydrology, structures and water distribution
systems to aid in planning analyses, This gives the CWCB and DWR the ability to
quickly modify or view areas where water respurce issues arise,

. Graphical and visual displays of model r~sults. This gives the ability to convey to
decision-makers at the CWCB and DWR in ~ clear and understandable way the results of
planning analyses, .

User Involvement and Training

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User involvement during development of the SPDS$ is crucial to the development of a practical
decision support system that will be used, User training is also necessary to achieve active and
widespread use and is included in each ofthe three ~lternatives, However Alternative 2 provides ..
the most cost effective and efficient user involve\nent and training. User involvement will _