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~~ ~.. J..;.".... , . ~. 4 " ~. " f. .' THE UPPER COLORADO RIVER: LIMITED SUPPLY. UNLIMITED POTEN'l'IAL DEMAND Is Colorado in a position to "use it" rather than "lose it?" The short-term answer is -- "No, not yet." Western Colorado, in /" particular, has more water currently than it could consume, even if~ stored or diverted. But the long-term answer is "Yes, Colorado's entitlement and perhaps more." For when one discusses major water projects, "short-term" and "long-term" tend to flow together. After all, to talk of water reguirements one or two generations down the road is to speak of commencing the water developments, today. The two biggest users of water in Western Colorado are expected to be agriculture -- currently consuming 70% of Colorado's use of the River Basin -- and energy production -- which currently consumes a small percentage of Colorado River water. The biggest guest ion in future water use on the Western Slope is "How much will be used by energy production?" Estimating water usage for an industry (oil shale) which does not yet produce for consumption can be hazardous business. using the moderate energy production scenario predicted by the Colorado Energy Research Institute (CERI) for the year 2000, the energy industry's water needs for expanded population associated with increased production would increase depletion of the river system by ~ 18% or 85,500 acre-feet; agriculture would be placed at 77%, up 363,000 acre-feet; and the remaining 5% would be used for municipal and other industrial purposes. Given additional transmountain water diversions, roughly estimated at an additional 200,000 acre-feet annually, what is readily apparent is that there still exists sufficient water for energy development on the /' Western Slope only if agriculture is not going to consume an additional , 363,000 acre-feet. The problem for energy production at this point is less one of water sufficiency than it is having the appropriate amount of water where and when it is needed. Agriculture, however, is facing a crisis. Historically, project construction for agricultural irrigation has been subsidized; however, the gap between the amount which can be paid by agriculture and the actual development cost has widened considerably in recent years. Society may have a responsibility to find financial resources and make them available for agricultural irrigation, for it can ill-afford water savings or diverted consumption at the expense of reducing farmland and eventually, food on the table and fiber for industry. METRO DENVER: WATER USAGE AND ru'ruHE NEEDS The principal remaining claims on the Colorado River Mainstem by the Eastern Slope are those of the Denver Water Board (DWE). The Board has laid claim -- and in some cases has conditional decrees -- on some 256,000 acre-feet of High Country water. - 4 -