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<br />orj':333 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />YAMPA STUDY DEMANDS <br />August 15, 1994 <br />Page 3 <br /> <br />8,000 AF allocated to a potential coal gasification plant near Craig. This projection was <br />based on feasibility studies conducted in the early 1980's. <br /> <br />Thermoelectric <br /> <br />Thermoelectric related industrial activity is a significant portion of the water <br />consumption in the Yampa River basin. This sector is not driven by "in-basin" controls but <br />rather by the regional demand for electricity. Discussions with the operator of the power <br />plants at Hayden and Craig at the time of the Yampa Study, Colorado-Ute, revealed no <br />plans to install additional units or increase production. The growth projections for this <br />study included a new generating unit at each of the power plants of similar size to the <br />existing ones. Water demand at the power plants was estimated based on the maximum <br />efficiency of the plants and the maximum recorded water consumption per kilowatt-hour. <br /> <br />Mining <br /> <br />Projections of mining were made at the same rate as the domestic sector. Mining <br />in the Yampa River basin consists largely of coal for local consumption by the power plants <br />and for export. Coal mining consumes very little water. Gravel mining driven by the need <br />for construction materials to support the projected increased population was judged to be <br />more consumptive of water resources. This resulted in huge increases in the amount of <br />coal mined with little increase in water consumption. <br /> <br />Irrigation <br /> <br />The largest consumption of water in the Yampa River basin is in irrigated <br />agriculture. The Yampa Study utilized a demand based on the maximum number of acres <br />under irrigation in recent years and the highest consumption per acre. The estimated <br />"current" level of potential demand included 5,000 AF of demand for those extremely dry <br />years to reflect demand which is currently going unsatisified. The irrigated agriculture <br />sector of the water demand picture was assumed to remain constant at the existing <br />"potential" level. This assumption was made because the practical irrigable land is already <br />under irrigation and many irrigated acres are being displaced by municipal growth. <br /> <br />Livestock <br /> <br />Livestock water demand was assummed to remain nearly constant with only 500 AF <br />of additional stock pond evaporation projected as increases livestock watering were <br />assumed to be offset by retirement or conversion of grazing lands. <br />