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<br />!1 ""' ') "1 ., ') <br />~J'Ju.J0.... <br /> <br />PREFACE <br /> <br />During the winter season of 1976-1977 it became increasingly clear that <br />Colorado and much of the western United States was entering into a period of <br />drought. The reality of drought was visible simply in the fact that snowpack <br />and moisture levels rested at record low levels throughout the the season. In <br />response to that reality, and the potential of future devastation, Governor <br />Richard Lamm, in concert with other leaders in the West and high1eve1 Colorado <br />State administrators and legislators, developed a comprehensive drought <br />response and recovery strategy. This case study chronicles the development and <br />implementation of the drought response and recovery activities as they <br />eventually manifested in Colorado. <br /> <br />Additionally, this report fulfills two mandates. First, it meets the final <br />report requirement stipulated in the grant from the Economic Development <br />Administration to Offi~e of the Governor which accounted for over 60 percent of <br />the funding of the Colorado drought coo:"dination project. Secondly, it meets <br />the requirement of the now disbanded Colorado Drought Council which allocated <br />$5,000 for the "documentation of the Colorado drought experience"--a phrase <br />which serves as a good description of what this report is meant to be. <br /> <br />The case study is a compilation of data extracted from numerous interviews <br />and information contained in hundreds--maybe thousands--of memoranda, reports, <br />and daily correspondence which were produced before, during and after the estab- <br />1 i shment of the drought project in Co 1 orado. Georgt! Lamb, the former State <br />Drought Coordi nator, and Co 11 een Murphy, the former Ass i stant State Drought <br />Coordinator, spent many hours in interviews with the author. Their willingness <br />to involve themselves in the details of "drought experiences" which had long <br />since passed--and their patience in doing so--constitute major contributions to <br />th i s report and mer it the author's acknow1 edgement and sincere express i on of <br />gratitude. Additional thanks are due to Ms. Murphy for her painstaking editing <br />of th i s report as we 11 .as for her wi 11 i ngness to serve as the cata 1yst in the <br />process which has finally resulted in the report's completion. <br /> <br />Numerous other individuals contributed substantively to the development of <br />this report. Foremost among them is Dr. Philip Burgess and Dr. Craig Liske, <br />both of the Western Governor's Policy Office. Dr. Burgess made some key pre- <br />liminary contributions to the structure, organization, and content of the report <br />while Dr. Liske made many substantive suggestions and offered many pieces of <br />valuable criticism during the latter stages of the y'eport writing process. The <br />involvement of both men in the project certainly enhanced the final product and, <br />therefore, are much appreciated. Additionally, the efforts of Governor Lamm's <br />Executive Assistant, Jim Monaghan, in guiding the draft ,~rsions of this report <br />through its various screening processes were vital to its existence and are thus <br />acknowledged. <br /> <br />Prior to the publication of the final version of this report a draft was <br />distributed for comment to the agencies in Colorado State government which had <br />played ro 1 es in the drought project. Many agency !J~;'sonne 1 spent si gnifi cant <br />