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<br />. <br /> <br />SENATE BILL 96-74 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br /> <br />I. Introduction <br /> <br />Senate Bill 96-74 authorized establishment of a Special Water Committee (SWC) of <br />nine legislators to investigate Denver Basin groundwater management and South <br />Platte River Basin issues. To assist in the SWC's consideration of these water <br />policy issues, the State Engineer (SEO) and the Director of the Colorado Water <br />Conservation Board (CWCB) have administered this technical study. <br /> <br />The SWC approved a scope of work for the technical study in September 1996 and <br />directed the SEO and the CWCB to proceed with the study. The study utilized the <br />latest technical methodologies and data from previous existing studies. During its <br />preparation, the study was SUbjected to peer review by qualified hydrologists, <br />geologists, engineers, and all interested members of the general public. <br /> <br />South Platte River and Denver Basin Overview <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The pristine South Platte River flow historically was fed from snow melt and ground <br />water (Figure 1). Development within the basin, initially agricultural throughout the <br />basin and urban growth in the upper basin, resulted in the demand for water for <br />agricultural and domestic use exceeding the natural flow of the South Platte River. Due <br />to the increased demands on the South Platte River the management of the water <br />within the basin has intensified over the years. To meet the growing demand, additional <br />water was imported into the South Platte River Basin through trans-basin diversions, <br />primarily from the Colorado River Basin, and groundwater was pumped from the <br />Denver Basin Aquifers. Currently the water supply for the population along the <br />Colorado Front Range, from the Castle Rock area in Douglas County to the Greeley. <br />area in Weld County is obtained from a variety of renewable and nonrenewable water <br />sources. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The South Platte River annual flow at the Henderson Gage is greater under current <br />conditions when compared to the historic flow. The increased flow is partially a result of <br />wastewater discharge, lawn irrigation return flows from trans-basin diversions and not- <br />nontributary and nontributary ground water pumping. Municipal and industrial water <br />use in the metro Denver area results in about 270,000 acre feet of return flow annually. <br />The pumping of "not-nontributary" and nontributary groundwater also has a depletive <br />effect on the South Platte River. In addition, the urban development in the South Platte <br />River basin has changed the surface runoff characteristics. The increased impervious <br />surfaces and the storm runoff from these surfaces have increased the surface flow. <br />Thus, the water in the South Platte River is now comprised of a number of "types" or <br />colors of water resulting in a net effect of generally more water available for use in the <br />river as compared to the historic flow. This net effect on the South Platte River flow due <br />to (or stemming from) the various water management options and use is demonstrated <br />by the illustrative tool and further discussed in chapter 12. <br /> <br />- 1 - <br /> <br />- <br />