WSP06669

• File Number: 8407
• Description: Platte River Basin - River Basin General Publications
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 7/1/1982
• Author: Arthur D Little Inc
• Title: Six State High Plains-Ogallala Aquifer Regional Resources Study - Study Element B-5 - Local Water Supply Augmentation Assessment
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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State Water Plans of the six High Plains states. (Management
Strategy Four)

o A strategy of interstate surface water transfers, import i ng
water from sources in areas adjacent to the Ogallala Region by
means of large scale federal-state or federal projects to
restore and maintain irrigation of the acreage that would have
reverted to dryland farming by 2020 under Strategy One or Two.
(Management Strategy Five)

The purpose of Regional Study Element 8-5 has been to identify and
assess the regional applicability and relative effectiveness of a large
number of innovative or unconventional methods for increasing local agri-
cultural water supplies in the High Plains area. The present state-of-the-
art for each of several augmentation methods has been assessed along with
the existing use and applications of each. The potential regional/local
applicability has been estimated. The projected effects in terms of
increased water supplies, environmental effects, institutional constraints
or requi rements, and other factors are described in the report. The results
of this assessment were used as decision variables for assessing alternative
Management Strategy Three. Management Strategy Three (MS-3) is discussed in
relation to the other management strategies in the High Plains Study Final
Report.

An inventory of available or potential water supply augmentation methods
relative to the High Plains Study area has been compiled from current litera-
ture and/or personal contacts. A broad array of so-called unconventional or
innovative techniques for increasing or extending local agricultural water
supplies have been assessed for their relevance to Strategy Three. Selected
methods are researched (from secondary sources) and a profil e prepared for
each to outline area of applicability, quantitative water augmentation
potential, costs of implementation, environmental effects, institutional
constraints and other pertinent factors. Comparisons are made among the
selected and profiled methods for relative effectiveness, difficulty of