WSPC07505

• File Number: 8040.950
• Description: Section D General Studies - General Water Studies
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 4/30/1982
• Title: High Plains Study - Six-State High Plains Study Recommendations - With Response
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Projected returns to land, water, and management are 14.9 percent higher
than for the Baseline Case, but increased pro<luction results in lower,,(1
na tional prices;

2. Irrigated acreage and import volumes:
3.3 'TIillion acres continued in irrigated production in 2000; with 5.5 million
acres in 2020, (30.7 percent greater than in the Baseline Case projections);
1.7 million acre-feet of imported water used in 2000;
4.1 million acre-feet of imported water used in 2020;
Because ground water would be used throughout the study period where
it is available, irrigated acreages would decrease in years after 2020 unless
import volumes are increased from those stated above.

3. Regional economy:
Imported water would result in increased agricultural production and a
stronger regional economy- 13.4 percent increase regionwide in gross
value added by farm production, in comparison to Baseline Case projections
for 2020;
All economic sectors show increased value added.
Employment is about 9 percent higher in the North, and. nearly 2 percent
higher in the South than for the Baseline Case by 2020.

The analysis of the annual agricultural production effects of imported water for
2020 indicate an increase of $1.7 billion in value of production for the Region. Total
value added in the regional economy would be increased $1.0 billion annually (2.2
percent) in 2000 and almost $2.0 billion annually (4.1 percent) in 2020 when compared
to the Baseline Case. Imported supplies of surface water would produce additional
jobs in the Region. Employment in the Region is projected to increase by 63.4 thousand
jobs in 2020 when compared with employment of the Baseline Case in 2020. Of
particular significance is that the employment increase associated with imported water
is sufficient to halt the loss in jobs otherwise expected to occur in the southern
Ogallala area as energy resources are depleted. Total income payments to households
by 2020 are projected to increase by $1.3 billion annually.

Water Importation

One of the primary objectives of the Study, as specifically authorized in P.L.
94-587, Sec. 193 was to develop plans to increase water supplies in the area. Thus,
in accordance with direction from the High Plains Study Council, the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers has made studies of four potential importation sources and routes to the
High Plains area as follows (F igure 2):
A. Fort Randall, South Dakota, southwesterly across Nebraska to terminal storage
near Bonny Reservoir in eastern Colorado;
B. St. Joseph, Missouri, southwesterly across Kansas to terminal storage near
Dodge City, Kansas;
C. Clarendon, Arkansas, westward through Oklahoma to terminal storage in Texas
on the Canadian River; and
D. Clarendon and Pine Bluff, Arkansas, southwestward across Arkansas to North-
east Texas, then westward across north Texas to terminal storage at Bull
Lake in the Southern High Plains of Texas.

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