Water Management Issues
The Colorado Basin will face several key points and challenges with respect to water management issues and needs over the next 30 years. The following provides an overview of some of the points and challenges that have been identified.
Major Water Organizations
Expected Growth
The Colorado Basin is comprised of all or part of six counties. Changes in population from 2000 to 2030, including percent annual growth rate on a county level, are shown below. During that time, the population in the basin is expected to grow by almost a quarter million people, or 99 percent.
County | 2000 Population | 2030 Population | Increase in Population 2000 to 2030 | Percent Change 2000 to 2030 | Percent Annual Growth Rate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eagle | 43,300 | 86,900 | 43,600 | 101 | 2.3 |
Garfield | 44,300 | 97,000 | 52,700 | 119 | 2.6 |
Grand | 12,900 | 28,800 | 15,900 | 123 | 2.7 |
Mesa | 105,900 | 202,300 | 96,400 | 91 | 2.2 |
Pitkin | 15,900 | 27,200 | 11,300 | 71 | 1.3 |
Summit | 25,700 | 50,400 | 24,700 | 96 | 2.3 |
TOTAL | 248,000 | 492,600 | 244,600 | 99 | 2.3 |
Anticipated Water Demands
The Colorado Basin is projected to increase in municipal and industrial (M&I) and self-supplied industrial (SSI) water demand by 61,900 acre-feet (AF) by 2030. M&I is defined as all of the water use of a typical municipal system, including residential, commercial, industrial, irrigation, and firefighting. Large industrial water users that have their own water supplies or lease raw water from others are described as SSI water users. M&I and SSI water demand forecasts for the Colorado Basin are shown below.
The 2000 and 2030 gross demands are also presented in the table along with the projected conservation savings. Conservation practices include ordinances and standards that improve the overall efficiency of water use, such as installation of low water-use plumbing fixtures. As the table indicates, the Colorado Basin will need an additional 61,900 AF to meet the increased demands of M&I water use. The majority of the demand is expected to be met through existing supplies and water rights and through the implementation of various projects and processes. However, there are still some anticipated shortfalls expected in certain portions of the basin. This is also shown in the table.
Sub-basin Designation | 2000 Gross Demand (AF) | 2030 Gross Demand (AF) | Projected Conservation Savings (AF) | Increase in Gross Demand (AF) | Identified Gross Demand Shortfall (AF) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eagle | 14,300 | 28,400 | 1,600 | 12,500 | 0 |
Garfield | 11,600 | 25,000 | 1,400 | 12,000 | 300 |
Grand | 4,300 | 8,700 | 400 | 4,000 | 800 |
Mesa | 18,700 | 35,600 | 2,100 | 14,800 | 0 |
Pitkin | 14,200 | 23,900 | 1,200 | 8,500 | 0 |
Summit | 11,000 | 22,200 | 1,100 | 10,100 | 1,900 |
TOTAL | 74,100 | 143,800 | 7,800 | 61,900 | 3,000 |