Laserfiche WebLink
<br />" <br /> <br />001376 <br /> <br />V' n:: 4:; ~-e,rr~ <br />.. f.. "",,' J." "'-<4 ',> <br />; 1 ;.~ \ f-:t..;~ I::, <br />~ ".... b..j.iJ.. At <br /> <br />II. SEITING FOR THE STUDY <br /> <br />The issues facing Colorado with respect to the future use and <br /> <br />allocation of its water resources arise in a context which has reason- <br /> <br />ably well defined physical, economic, and legal parameters. Therefore, <br /> <br />before one can understand the issues, and the approach which this study <br /> <br />has taken in examining them, one must be aware of these parameters, <br /> <br />which include: <br /> <br />1) Physical and legal limitations on the supply of water <br /> <br />available for use in Colorado; <br /> <br />2) A water rights system which determines the legal and <br /> <br />institutional procedures for the appropriation, use, <br /> <br />and transfer of water; <br /> <br />3) Various demands for water in Colorado, including the <br /> <br />economic or public policy forces which drive those <br /> <br />demands. <br /> <br />Each of these are considered in turn below. <br /> <br />physical and Legal Limitations <br /> <br />Water supplies are, of course, finite, although in the case of <br /> <br />surface waters and hydrologically connected ground water, the supply <br /> <br />is renewed annually (unlike resources such as oil, natural gas, <br /> <br />and minerals). Other salient characteristics of the state's water <br /> <br />supply include variability from season to season and year to year, <br /> <br />a relative scarcity of runoff as compared to more humid climates, <br /> <br />and a natural distribution of supplies which does not coincide with <br /> <br />the areas of greatest demand. <br /> <br />i <br />