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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION The Upper Gunnison-Uncompahgre Phase I Feasibility Study is being carried '~ out to identify financially feasible, environmentally sound, water resource ) " management and development alternatives within the study area. This study' ~ consists of 16 work tasks. This memorandum presents the results of Task 4, .. QO Project Demands. The objective of Task 4 is to quantify the existing water use and to predict future water demands in the study area. The planning horizon for the forecasts consists of the 50-year period 1985-2035. It is recognized that existing and potential future water demands downstream of the study area may impact proposed development plans within the study area. This aspect is not evaluated in Task 4. Downstream water demands will be evaluated in Task 3 and will be incorporated into the hydrologic model as deemed appropriate in order to assess the impact that potential development located in the study area would have on lower basin (downstream of the study area) present and future water demands. POPULATION PROJECTIONS An estimate of the future population within the study area was prepared to predict future municipal and industrial water demand. The estimate presents a range of potential future population figures corresponding to Baseline, Moderate and High growth scenarios. These scenarios are defined as follows: Basel i ne - assumes that future economicdeve 1 opment wi 11 exhibit low growth and that population growth related to net natural increase will follow the U.S. Census Bureau's Middle Series projection. Moderate - assumes that baseline condition and result of the econom;c increase. economic development will that population growth will development and a somewhat be higher than the also be higher as a higher net natural HiQh - assumes stronger economic develoment and population growth than has historically taken place. The resulting population forecast for the study area is presented in Table S.l. -1-