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<br />v~/ <br />V'IJ/"p<)t <br /> <br />The report, page 15, continues with: "Total Upper Colorado Region commitments v rPJ/ <br />including intraregion withdrawals, reservoir evaporation, exports to adjacent ' <br />regions in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, and deliveries to <br />the Lower Colorado now exceed the 'virgin flow' at the outflow point of the <br />region....If the states are to develop natural resources at the SRF <br />(State/Regional Futures) rates and according to other expressed aspirations, <br />severe water shortages will develop in a time frame that directly affects <br />planning and development decisions being made today." <br /> <br />002886 <br /> <br />The repor t concludes, page 19, that: "The water supply in the Upper Colorado <br />Region is not sufficient to meet projected needs, adequate instream flQws, and <br />the terms of the Colorado River Compact", and on page 23 that: "The <br />Continental transfer of water to large growing population centers outside the <br />region in eastern Colorado, western Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico will create <br />conflicts with projected in-basin (in-region) users over an insufficient ,water <br />supply." <br /> <br />A current proposal by Aurora, Colorado would divert up to a maximum amount of <br />108,500 acre-feet annually from the upper Gunnison River to the Colorado front <br />range. This annual diversion exceeds the water augmentation capability of the ~ <br />Forest. . ' xeJ ' <br />~r ' <br />The Forest concludes that there is more ~Jemand for water than the Forest could f: <br />ever produce by harvesting timber: As much as is produced by harvesting timber ~ <br />will be used by society somewhere in the western United States. <br /> <br />The question of how much additional water could be produced depends on the <br />natural process potential and conveyance system limitations. After these <br />natural limits are determined, demand, value, and cost of providing the <br />additional water could be utilized to determine the amount of additional water <br />to be produced on the Forest. However, no determination can be made with <br />available information as to a desirable level of water yield augmentation on <br />the Forest. Agriculture, with a low marginal value for water, currently uses <br />the majority of water, but shifting economic structures may change the demand <br />for and value of additional water. Economic principles do not operate freely <br />to determine the price of water, especially "new water". This is due to the <br />complicated nature of the laws and customs governing water use and distribution <br />in the Colorado River Basin. The revenue generated for increased water is not <br />an accurate gage of its value to society. Other resources values and public <br />desires must be considered. <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />0\& <br /> <br />HUMAN AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT <br /> <br />(FEIS PAGE 111-99; NO CHANGE) <br /> <br />IN' <br /> <br />t!~~ <br />:i ~ ~~'- <br />~ ~{i1 <br />H-~& <br /> <br />MINERALS AND GEOLOGY <br /> <br />(FEIS PAGE 111-94; NO CHANGE) <br /> <br />SUPPORT ELEMENTS <br /> <br />PROTECTION <br /> <br />(FEIS PAGE 111-99; NO CHANGE) <br />(FEIS PAGE 111-103; NO CHANGE) <br />(FEIS PAGE 111-106; NO CHANGE) <br /> <br />LANDS <br />FACILITIES <br /> <br />19 <br />