Voluntary Basinwide Water Management: South Platte River Basin, Colorado, (Revised)

摘要

Demands for water in the South Platte River Basin are the most intense in Colorado and the result is increasing conflict over water use. The resulting litigation places financial burdens on water right owners and stresses one capability of the state administrative agencies to respond with water management decisions. A voluntary association of water right owners is proposed as a mechanism to increase the options of water users and reduce conflict over water use. The initiative for organizing it would be by the water right owners themselves. The South Platte Research Team believes that such an association could help achieve voluntary integrated basinwide water management. The association of water right owners would need information on management and exchange possibilities and the resulting impacts. Computer-based models can provide the information. Two hydrologic and decision models which are available at Colorado State University for this purpose are described. Other hydrologic models and economic models can also be utilized by the association. The report points out possible actions. It must be followed by discussions and debate, by demonstrations of what the models can accomplish, by organizational activity, and perhaps by new legislation. The research team plans to conduct workshops to discuss the next steps.