Date: 08/12/2015
Final
WATER RESOURCES REVIEW COMMITTEE
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06:20 PM -- Colorado River Basin Roundtable Basin Implementation Plan
Jim Pokrandt, Chair, Colorado Basin Roundtable, introduced himself, described the basin, and acknowledged the roundtable members present. He described the Colorado River Basin Implementation Plan (BIP) and explained the themes that are throughout the plan. Mr. Pokrandt discussed transmountain diversions (TMD) and how an additional TMD in the Colorado River Basin would affect the basin. He also discussed development of the river system in the basin. Mr. Pokrandt explained that the BIP found that high conservation, resuse, and linking water supply to land use are in the best interest of the state. Mr. Pokrandt described some of the issues the basin is currently facing and will face in the future, including a municipal and industrial gap and a lack of storage in the basin. He explained projects that are priorities in the basin, such as a streamflow management plan. He explained that the upcoming State Water Supply Initiative (SWSI) study in 2016 will be important to the state because it will speak specifically to gaps in water demand and supply.
06:34 PM
Mr. Pokrandt discussed the possibilities of future TMDs, which would transfer water from the West Slope of the state to the East Slope of the state, in order to meet increasing demand on the East side of the Continental Divide. He described the main issues that a new TMD would have to address before development could begin and stated that conservation and environmental resiliency would have to be addressed in order for the basin to consider an additional TMD. Mr. Pokrandt answered questions from the committee concerning water use on the east slope. Mr. Pokrandt explained how the Water Infrastructure and Supply Efficiency project addresses the future water gap by supplying customers with water while minimizing the need for new water rights.