of the Study, said the examination of the entire Basin has generated intense interest and scrutiny regarding its find- ings and what it presents as “options and strategies” for future water manage- ment. Before the Study could contem- plate the tools for going forward, it had to depict an accurate picture of the challenge facing Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California.
“Before we could look at ways to help ensure future sustainability, we had to understand how unsustainable
Watch a video of Reclamation’s Terry Fulp talk about the Colorado River Basin Supply and Demand Study
the river system could be if we do not take any action,” Jerla said. “It is widely known that the Colorado River, based on inflows observed over the last century, is over-allocated and supply and demand imbalances are likely to be exacerbated in the future.”
Elements of the Study that have been published are projections of future water supply and demand and the op- tions received to resolve future imbal- ances. Projections of system reliability with and without options in place as well as an assessment of those options in terms of cost, yield, timing and other tradeoffs were forthcoming as Western Water went to press.
Representatives of the seven Basin states, which cost-shared the Study on a 50/50 basis with Reclamation, say the Study will be an important part of how water users face the future. “The Study is groundbreaking for the Colorado River system on two fronts,” said Chuck Cullom, Colorado River programs manager with the Central Arizona Project. ”First, it was developed through a broad, direct collaboration-based approach, not only with the traditional players in the Colorado River system, but also Native American tribes, power providers, environmental advocacy groups and recreation interests. The Study incor- porates the input from the broad range
November/December 2012
of stakeholders to provide a wider view of the values, resources, and interests to be considered in the Study.
“Second, the Study developed new
modeling and analytical tools for water managers to use in the Colorado River system. The Study relies on a scenario- based approach considering multiple supply/demand/operations futures, and intentionally considers climate change information from down-scaled global circulation models to capture a broad range risks and vulnerabilities.” Cullom said the Study “confirms what Colorado River water managers have long understood: the over-allo- cation of the Colorado River system coupled with increasing water needs and the potential for reduced supplies due to climate change will put the com- munities and resources relying on the river at significant risks of prolonged shortages in the future.”
Environmentalists say the Study is noteworthy for its candid assessment of the possible impacts on water supply brought about by climate change – about a median 9 percent reduction. “It’s an affirmative recognition that climate change is a piece of what we have to look at and consider in think- ing about the future of water supply and demand in this Basin,” said Jennifer Pitt, director of the Environmental Defense Fund’s Colorado River Project. Pitt said it’s possible for water use needs to be met without constructing large infrastructure projects. “What we have in an approach that relies first and foremost on water conservation is a common sense strategy that meets demand and protects the river without requiring the big expensive projects,” she said.
Of course, dealing with a limited water supply is no mystery to Colorado River water users, who have gone out of their way to craft agreements to equitably distribute water. “I think everybody realized we were in a deficit,” said Bruce Moore, direc- tor of surface water resources with the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA). “If you just take the basic fact that the original Compact and the
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“Before we could look at ways to help ensure future sustainability, we had to understand how unsustainable the river system could be if we do not take any action.”
– Carly Jerla, Bureau of Reclamation
Listen to more of the interview with Carly Jerla
Read the Colorado River Basin Supply and Demand Study on the Bureau of Reclamation’s website