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<br />003217 <br /> <br />supply water to five river basins: the upper and Lower Colorado, the <br />Columbia (Snake and Salmon River), the Great Basin, and the headwaters <br />of the Missouri River. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The most acute and widespread water shortages occur in the Colorado <br />River Basins and in the Great Basin. Demand for water in these basins <br />has been increasing rapidly, while the total water supply has remained <br />relatively constant. The problem is especially critical with the <br />Colorado River, which is fast approaching the point of full use. <br />Unless streamflow into the Colorado River is increased, future growth <br />will be impeded, or require redistribution of water supplies. Planned <br />and projected power generation facilities and mining development will <br />impose increased demands on water resources. These basins face severe <br />water shortages, unless water managers can find new sources of water <br />or can make more efficient use of existing supplies. <br /> <br />AUGMENTATION <br /> <br />Water yield augmentation will be considered where there is a demon- <br />strated need for more water. It will receive special consideration in <br />the Colorado River Basin and the Great Basin where demand for water <br />has been increasing rapidly while the total supply has remained <br />relatively constant. <br /> <br />Water yield augmentation will be considered in relation to ongoing <br />resource activities so that opportunities of timing and increased <br />yield are not foregone. Examples of ongoing activities which might be <br />designed for water yie~d increase are modification of size, shape, and <br />orientation of cutting units on timber sales, type conversions for <br />range or wildlife improvement, and prescribed burning for fuel re- <br />duction. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Water yield augmentation projects proposed and funded by Out-Service <br />sources will be permitted on National Forest System lands provided <br />they are envirorunent:ally acceptable and are compatible with other <br />resource uses. Examples of such projects would be vegetative type <br />conversion where the primary pr04uct is water'orsnowfence construc- <br />tion where snowpack management is needed to increase water yields. <br /> <br />B-3l <br /> <br />'<^ <br /> <br />c <br /> <br />" .,,' <br />