WSPC05058

• File Number: 8040.950
• Description: Section D General Studies - General Water Studies
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 7/25/1978
• Author: Unknown
• Title: Draft Publication for Water Study
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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V. LIMITATIONS ON THE WATER STUDY

In general, the scope, subject matter, and content of the water

study have been described above, In.order to forestall any misunder-

standing, however, it may be helpful to briefly describe limitations

on the scope of study. Although the legislature did not give any

directions as to the content of the water study, it was clear from

the outset of the study that water has a direct or indirect affect on

almost every thing, but that everything could not be examined in this

relatively modest study, Some limitations had to be established.

In the first instance, it was decided that the study should be

of statewide geographic coverage, although Colorado has been divided

into hydrologic regions for the sake of analytical convenience

(see map), Secondly, it was determined that the study should deal

with both surface and ground water resources, with one major exception.

Ground water use in the Northern and Southern High Plains has not

been examined for two reasons.

First, the use of ground water in

these areas represents the one time depletion of a finite resource,

and it therefore raises different questions than those pertaining to

renewable surface or underground water, Secondly, the state will

participate in a four-yea~ federally funded, multi-state study of

the High Plains ground water to begin in late 1978.

A second limitation has to do with water quality. Ideally,

a comprehensive examination of the state's water resources should

include both the quantitative and qualitative aspects

of water use,

because the two are inextricably related.

.

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