Colorado SWSI (CO)
SWSI: Colorado's Statewide Water Supply Initiative.
Water allocation has always been - and always will be - a major issue in the arid West. Colorado has long struggled with how to best use and share the wealth of water its mountains provide. Recent and ongoing efforts will chart the future of water diversions and could radically impact whitewater paddling as we know it in the state - unless whitewater paddlers step up and represent their interests. Perhaps the most crucial effort for paddlers to be involved with is the Statewide Water Supply Initiative.
The 2003 Big Straw Referendum A would have given the Colorado legislature $2 billion to build dams and divert more water to the Front Range. After it lost handily, the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) created SWSI. SWSI Phase I determined that Colorado will have 20% less water than the amount needed (the 20% Gap) based on projected population growth.
“SWSI's findings so far have bolstered Western Slope concerns about possible new attempts at water grabs by the Front Range. It is projecting that Colorado's cities and industrial users will need an additional 708,000 acre-feet of water by 2030, as the state population grows from 4.3 million in 2000 to an estimated 7.1 million people.” Aspen Times, August 27, 2004
SWSI Phase II created four technical roundtables that now meet regularly:
1) Water Efficiency (Agricultural, Municipal, & Industrial (M&I), 2) Alternative Agricultural Transfers to Permanent Dry-up 3) Prioritize and Quantify Recreation and Environment Needs 4) Addressing the 20% M & I Gap.
In addition to these technical roundtables, the Interbasin Compact Committee (IBCC) was created. The IBCC organizes nine additional roundtables to meet and negotiate diverting water between basins. Critical decisions will be made within these roundtables that will determine whether many rivers and streams in Colorado have sufficient flows for paddling and other river recreation, fish, wildlife, local economic benefits, and municipal needs. Currently the paddling community is unrepresented or underrepresented on these roundtables. American Whitewater is seeking paddlers willing to thoughtfully represent the paddling community and AW on these roudtables.
Watershed | Contact | Phone | Location | Details |
Colorado | Dave Merritt | 970-945-8522 | Glenwood Springs | Colorado |
Yampa-White | Tom Sharp | 970-879-1482 | Yampa | |
Gunnison | Michelle Pierce | 970-944-2333 | Montrose | Gunnison |
Dolores-San Juan | Steven Harris | 970-259-5322 | Cortez | Delores |
North Platte | Kent Crowder | 970-723-4660 | Walden | North Platte |
Arkansas | Alan Hamel | 719-584-0221 | Pueblo | Arkansas |
Denver Metro | Doug Scott | 303-789-2541 | Denver Area | Denver |
Rio Grande | Mike Gibson | 719-589-2230 | Alamosa | Rio Grande |
South Platte | Bille Jerke | 970-336-7204 | Longmont | South Platte |
Please attend these meetings and contact AW if you are interested in formally participating as a representative for the paddling community.
For details on the meeting locations, dates, and times, please call the contact person listed above. We encourage paddlers to attend these meetings whenever possible, and if you are willing to be involved in a more formal capacity please contact Kevin Colburn (kevin@amwhitewater.org) immediately. Senate Bill 06-179 allocates $10/million year from 2006 and 2010 for water projects and to do needs assessments in the basins. The IBCC Roundtables are now determining how that money should be spent. This is a one-time opportunity for boaters to obtain money to study and protect recreational river flows. If we do not clearly define the rivers that are important to us, and the flows we need, then our interests and the higher flows critical to recreation and to the rivers' ecological health will be lost.
For more information, please visit the State of Colorado's website on these issues at: http://dnr.state.co.us/Home/ColoradoWaterforthe21stCentury/IbccHome.htm

AW Meets with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar
06/30/2011 - by Nathan Fey
Washington DC - American Whitewater and Colorado River Oufitter representatives traveled to Washington DC to meet with Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Department of Interior today. The Secretary's leadership on water issues in the Colorado River Basin, and opportunities for Public-Private partnerships were among the topics discussed.

Hearing canceled for Moffat Collection Project
12/08/2009 - by Nathan Fey
Due to the current weather predictions, the US Army Corps of Engineers has cancelled the public meeting scheduled for Summit County (December 8). The meeting will be rescheduled for January 2010. Stay tuned for meeting anouncement.
The contacts below include staff and volunteers working on this project. Make sure you are logged in if you wish to join the group.
Title | Name | City | |
---|---|---|---|
Nathan Fey | Longmont CO | Details... | |
Kevin Colburn | Missoula MT | Details... |
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Events
Associated News
Future of Colorado's Rivers Up For Debate
12/19/2006
Colorado's Water: Supply and Demand
8/15/2007
2007 Top Ten Stewarship Issues: Update
11/7/2007
American Whitewater hires New Colorado Stewardship Director
3/7/2007
Comments needed on Draft EIS for Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP)
5/12/2008
Upper Colorado River - Project Update
8/27/2009
Releases Scheduled for the North Fork South Platte (CO)
7/30/2010
LAST CALL - Yampa River Flow Survey
4/1/2011
2013 Gunnison Flow Survey is live. Share your thoughts & protect rivers!
4/30/2013
Take Action TODAY to Support Healthy Rivers in Colorado!
3/7/2014
URGENT: Make sure Colorado's Water Plan protects rivers!
9/1/2015
Action Alert! Last Chance to Comment on the Colorado Water Plan!
9/15/2015
Colorado Water Plan is Historic Step Forward
11/19/2015
Saint Vrain Stream Management Planning is Underway (CO)
9/5/2018
AW releases Saint Vrain and Lefthand Creek Recreational Flow Study - CO
12/14/2018
Funding Colorado’s Water Plan - What is Proposition DD?
10/15/2019
Regions
Associated Rivers
Associated Projects
Colorado SWSI (CO)
Colorado's Statewide Water Supply Initiative may very well determine the fate of Colorado's whitewater rivers by dictating how much water can be removed from rivers to serve a growing population.
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