S1_11-15-04

• Basin: Statewide
• Title: SWSI Phase 1 Report - Section 1 Introduction
• Date: 11/15/2004
• Author: CWCB
• SWSI - Doc Type: Final Report

Section 1
I ntrod uction
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Statewide Water Supply Initiafive
Introduction to the Statewide
Water Supply Initiative
In 2003, the Colorado legislature recognized the critical
need to understand and better prepare for our long-term
water needs, and authorized the Colorado Water
Conservation Board (CWCB) to implement the Statewide
Water Supply Initiative (SWSI). SWSI is a
comprehensive study of how Colorado will meet its future
water needs. The critical success factors outlined for
SWSI were:
^ Define clear purpose and objectives
^ Incorporate stakeholders in decisionmaking
^ Develop institutional framework for implementation
^ Develop funding strategies
^ Utilize multi-faceted approach to water resources
development
The overall objective of SWSI is to help Colorado
m~int~in an adequ~te v~~t~r supply for its citizens
and the enviranment. SWSI is not intended to take the
place of local water planning initiatives. Rather, it is a
"forum" to develop a common understanding of existing
water supplies and future water supply needs and
demands throughout Colorado, and possible means of
meeting those needs. CWCB, through SWSI and future
efforts, will help support and/or identify solutions to these
water supply needs. To help attain this goal, SWSI
summarized by river basin, at a reconnaissance level,
existing water supplies and demands and projected
demands up to 30 years into the future, and a range of
potential options to meet existing and future demands.
This will allow water providers, state policy makers, and
the General Assembly to make informed decisions
regarding the management and use of Colorado's
surface and groundwater resources.
In many areas, local planning entities have completed
studies, identified projects, and are capable of
implementing those projects. SWSI documented and
summarized these identified projects or processes that
are in place to address future water needs. Where
entities need implementation assistance, SWSI
addressed planning and implementation needs, identified
projects for possible implementation, and developed
strategies for project implementation including potential
cooperative and collaborative efforts. For areas where
specific projects were not identified by water providers or
water users, SWSI relied on a stakeholder process. The
options developed by the SWSI stakeholder process
generally fall within the following categories:
^ Conservation
^ Agricultural transfers
^ Reservoir storage
^ Conjunctive use of alluvial or non-tributary
groundwater
^ Water reuse
^ Control of non-native phreatophytes (water
consuming plants)
By taking both a basin and statewide perspective, SWSI
has identified issues and water supply needs and
projects that may require coordination by more than one
planning entity, or that may be beyond the capabilities of
a single entity. Through the SWSI effort, CWCB has
identified possible solutions to achieve a cooperative and
collaborative initiative.
1.1.1 SWSI Communication and
Community Involvem~nt Process
The public information and Basin Roundtable participant
involvement activities were intended to provide a
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