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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I n;..,~ "'~3 u~.~ '.I" Preservation of Agriculture and Wildlife Habitat Colorado's rront range is a semi-arid region averaging approximately 14 inches of precipitation per year, much of it in the form of snowfall which runs off early irt the irrigation season. Even with extensive conservation, the need of this metropolitan area for additional water will . continue to grow. The environmental consequences associated with major new dams such as Two Forks have resulted in rejection. Front Range water users have limited ability to retain excess spring runoff water for use throughout the year, and natural flows have declined to an amount far less than the area's seasonal use requirements. One unfortunate consequence of the denial of Two Forks is the massive increase in the need to transfer agricultural water to municipalities and the attendant "dry-up" of agricultural lands which such transfers entail. The ongoing competition for existing water supplies (largely agricultural) is a direct result of the inability to develop the irregularly occurring "excess" flows to meet constant water demands. Wholesale dry-up of agricultural lands in the Arkansas River basin has occurred, and transfer of significant agricultural lands in the South Platte basin is ongoing. In general, each new family requires approximately one acre foot of water (325,000 gallons) to provide for its annual water needs. Irrigated agriculture on Colorado's eastern plains results in the consumption of as much as two acre feet of irrigation water per acre of irrigation. Thus, for every two new families moving into the metro area, one acre of irrigated agriculture must be removed rrom production. This equation has severe social and political consequences which are only now being recognized. 21