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<br />; <br /> <br />(';-~"3~ <br />tH.l,i..':; ~\) <br /> <br />, <br />, <br /> <br />/ News Release <br /> <br />February 2, 1994 <br />For Immediate Release <br /> <br />News Contact: <br /> <br />Ross Bethel <br />(303) 866-3441, ext. 308 <br /> <br />NEW SYSTEM HELPS PROTECT COLORADO RIVER INTERESTS <br /> <br />Continuing conflicts over the use of Colorado River water have prompted the state to <br />launch a major project that will improve Colorado's ability to make better decisions about <br />interstate compact policy, water resources management and water rights administration, <br />The tug of war involves some 15 million acre feet of water that annually flows through <br />the seven-state Colorado River basin. <br />The 1922 Colorado River Compact and a series of subsequent interstate agreements and <br />court cases apportioned 50 percent of the river's water to the upper basin states of Colorado, <br />New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, and the remaining half to the lower basin states of <br />California, Arizona and Nevada, <br />In recent years, California's annual use of about 5,2 million acre feet has exceeded its <br />basic allowance of 4.4 million acre fee~me o,f that water historically came from Arizona's <br />share, But now that Arizona has begun'Stef~Colorado River water in its Central Arizona <br />Project, for the first time in history, he lower basin states have exceeded their collective <br />Sfrn.. ~, - <br />Colorado River Compact entitlement. ""- <br />Because Colorado has the largest undeveloped share of compact entitlement water, <br />excess water use by other states threatens Colorado's ability to put that water to use in the <br />future, <br /> <br />Recent proposals for the recovery of endangered fish and for re-authorization of the <br />Clean Water Act also compete for Colorado's share of Colorado River Water. <br />Against this backdrop of intensified competition for Colorado River water, the state has <br />begun the development of an integrated information and analysis system -- the Colorado River <br />Decision Support System (CRDSS), <br />The system will take about four years to develop and cost about $ 7,000,000, <br />