Most recent Board of Directors Quarterly Meetings:
Tuesday, October 20, 2015 – Hotel Denver Loft, 402 7th Street. Glenwood Springs, CO
Agenda and Memos
Flexible Water Sharing Reduces Risk in Dry Times
By Jon Stavney, President of the Board of Directors, Colorado River District
“Water banking” is an emerging term in Western Colorado as water planners work on concepts to protect water supplies in the face of long-term drought, increasing demand and the uncertainties of a changing climate.
Water banking would be employed to avoid a crisis should declining Colorado River water supplies force a curtailment of uses either because of low reservoir levels at Lakes Powell and Mead or under a Colorado River Compact shortage.
Colorado Water Plan
In May 2013, Governor John Hickenlooper issued an executive order that Colorado create its first water plan in order that the state find balanced water supply solutions as population grows. In the absence of a plan, the status quo is that municipal utilities will continue to buy and dry irrigated agricultural lands and convert the water rights to urban use. The first draft was completed in December 2014. A final plan is due December 2015.
2014 Annual Report
– Protecting Western Colorado Ag is Critical
– Colorado’s Water Plan – Addressing Future Transbasin Diversions
– Water Banking Work Advances Study of Split-season Irrigation
– Shoshone Study Launched
“In the world of water, most of the major issues in water resource protection, planning and development benefit from the view point provided by such a large District.” – Jon Stavney, President, Colorado River District Board of Directors