TOPICAL ARTICLES

March 2005

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COLORADO: Interstate and International Water Issues

Colorado is home to the headwaters of four major river systems, all of which originate high in the Rocky Mountains and flow into downstream states. These systems include the Colorado (the Gunnison, Animas, San Juan, Dolores, Yampa and White), the Rio Grande, the Arkansas and the Missouri (the North Platte, South Platte and Republican). Together these systems provide water for domestic use for approximately 4.3 million residents in Colorado as well as for irrigation, industrial, commercial, recreational and wildlife habitat. On average, these river systems carry more than 16 million acre-feet (maf), of which approximately 9.248 maf flows west and 1.478 m.a.f. flows east to other states. Yet, even with its abundance of water, Colorado’s water supply likely cannot meet the demand of its projected 7 million residents by 2030 because of its ongoing drought and its legal obligations to deliver up to two-thirds of its surface water to downstream states and countries.