WSPC05416

• File Number: 8064
• Description: Indian Water Rights
• State: CO
• Date: 5/1/1984
• Author: Western Governors As
• Title: Indian Water Rights in the West
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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technology, western water supplies will remain a limiting
resource.

For various reasons it is difficult to define precisely

the relationship between water supply and water use in the

West. These reasons include the varying factors of timing

and location of available water, water quality fluctuations,

and "third-party" effects such as maintenance of non-consumed

return flows and priority of rights.

Notwithstanding these difficulties, the following table

gives an ~dea of the water supply/water use relationship in

the western states. The table's definition of "water use"

includes both instream needs and off-stream consumption. In-

stream needs are defined as the minimum flow necessary for

maintenance of fish and wildlife populations or for navigation.

Off-stream consumption is estimated as the total water that

would have been consumed or lost assuming a demand based on

1975 levels of activity. Although there is an absence of

consensus as to the amount of water which should be allocated

to instream uses, this does not mean that including them

overstates the degree of water scarcity in the West. Recently

increasing concern with instream values probably indicates

that future water use for maintenance of such values will not

dimish and may increase.

The "average" column in the table is based on precipi-
tation levels that will be equaled or exceeded 50% of the