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<br />III. LEGISLATIVE ISSUES. <br /> <br />In des1gn1ng a nontr1butary groundwater management law for <br />Colorado, the leg1slature should resolve several 1mportant 1ssues. <br />The Groundwater Leg1slation Comm1ttee recommends acceptance of its <br />posltlons on the general p01nts expressed 1n the agreements and <br />assumpt10ns sect10n of th1s report. Draftlng leg1s1at1on <br />cons1stent w1th the agreed po1nts requ1res several spec1f1c <br />cho1ces. Th1s sectlon 1dentifies the most 1mportant 1~sues and <br />c~o1ce5 for resolving them. The Comm1ttee's comments and <br />preferences are expressed where applicable. <br /> <br />A. Should nontr1butary groundwater be cons1dered primar1ly a <br />temporary. supplemental, or emergency source of supply when <br />~ <br />surface water 15 not ava11able? <br /> <br />Because groundwater pump1ng 1s essent1ally .m1n1ng. a <br />f1n1te resource, 1t can only support l1m1ted use for a l1m1ted <br />t1me. The Comm1ttee was reluctant to find that the w1sest and <br />best use of nontr1butary groundwater 1s always a backup source <br />for other sources of water supply. However, the Comm1ttee <br />agreed that such use may be the most desirable depend1ng on the <br />c1rcumstances. Relevant c1rcumstances to be cons1dered <br />1nclude: nature and extent of demands for water, ava1lab1l1ty <br />of alternate supp11es, and patterns of growth. <br /> <br />8. What should be 1ncluded 1n the terms of a groundwater perm1t? <br /> <br />1. Length of perm1t. <br /> <br />The Comm1ttee recommends that the length of the perm1t <br />should be f1n1te 1f no well 1s dr1l1ed, but the perm1t <br />should be renewable upon to a demonstration of cont1nu1ng <br />need. <br /> <br />-18- <br />