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Water Planning Fact Sheet: Colorado Water Plan

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#3 Tips on Connecting to the Colorado Water Plan

The Colorado Water Plan provides a framework for helping Colorado meet its water challenges through collaborative action around water development and water conservation.

Background

State Statutes C.R.S. 30-28-106(3)(a.5)(II) and 31-23-206(1.5)(c) encourage communities to plan in alignment with the Colorado Water Plan wherever possible. For example:

  • “The water supply element must include water conservation policies, to be determined by the county [or municipality], which may include goals specified in the state water plan…”
  • “…and policies to implement water conservation and other state water plan goals as a condition of development approval…”

Water Values in the Colorado Water Plan

Your community may consider alignment of local goals with Water Values in the Colorado Water Plan. The four Water Values are based on extensive work with stakeholders and include:

  • A productive economy that supports vibrant, sustainable cities, agriculture, recreation, and tourism
  • An efficient and effective water infrastructure system
  • A strong environment with healthy watersheds, rivers, streams, and wildlife
  • An informed public with creative, forward-thinking solutions that are sustainable and resilient to changing conditions and result in strong, equitable communities that can adapt and thrive in the face of adversity

Tip: Learn from leaders; Learn to lead

The City of Westminster developed water planning Scenarios that align closely to scenarios in the 2019 Technical Update to the Colorado Water Plan.

Since 2017, Colorado Growing Water Smart has trained staff and elected officials from 61 communities representing 65 percent of Coloradans with specific attention to meeting Colorado Water Plan goals.

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Water Plan Action Areas

The Water Plan is organized around four Action Areas. To the extent that these categories fit with local priorities, you may consider organizing the Water Element in your Comprehensive Plan Action Areas:

  • Vibrant Communities: counties, municipalities, utilities, cities, towns, businesses, large industries, large/small urban and rural communities, etc.
  • Robust Agriculture: established crops and farms, local food, orchards, ranching, ditch companies, acequias, urban agriculture, etc.
  • Thriving Watersheds: environment and recreation, river health, watershed health, forest health, wildfire mitigation, wildlife and aquatic species protection, etc.
  • Resilient Planning: climate adaptation, planning for climate extremes, embracing equity/diversity/inclusivity, education, outreach and engagement, supportive government, etc.

One Water Planning

As you outline the Water Element for your Comprehensive Plan, how might you consider topics such as water efficiency, watershed health, stormwater and flooding, alternative water supplies, and water quality in a holistic manner within your community? The Water Research Foundation defines One Water as “an integrated planning and implementation approach to managing finite water resources for long-term resilience and reliability, meeting both community and ecosystem needs.” Taking a One Water approach in your Comprehensive Plan starts with the same foundational steps to integrate water and land use planning in general: foster a culture of collaboration and information-sharing between all agencies with roles related to water resources, build public support through effective public communication of your One Water approach, and identify where land use strategies can support multi-benefit projects. The 2023 Water Plan (pg. 178) encourages a One Water planning approach that looks at managing water resources in an holistic manner in order to achieve multiple and sustainable objectives. The Denver One Water Plan is one Colorado example which creates a common framework for reliably managing water systems to meet public and environmental needs while reducing costs, improving resilience, and enhancing community livability.

‘Transformative Landscape Change’

In defining your community Vision for the future in your Comprehensive Plan, you may wish to consider your role in promoting what the Colorado Water Plan refers to as “transformative landscape change.” This shift from more water-intensive landscaping to landscapes adapted to Colorado’s climates can range from landowner education and incentive programs to turf replacement programs and new water-wise landscape codes for long-term water savings. South Metro Water Supply Authority developed a model regional ordinance and other examples include landscape standards in Aspen, Aurora, and Castle Rock.

Incorporating Robust Agriculture in Planning

The Water Plan promotes integration of robust agriculture into local government planning, noting that “many of the services provided by agriculture align with local government goals, such as providing jobs, local food, open space buffers between communities, scenic views, and ecosystem diversity.” Depending on your community’s goals, you may consider interrelationships between water, agriculture and land use. For example, a 20-year goal in Larimer County’s Comprehensive Plan is that agriculture is one “viable long-term segment of Larimer County’s economic, cultural, and social fabric.” This goal connects to Comprehensive Plan Principles and Policies and the Agriculture & Ranching areas on the County’s Framework Map.

Goals in Basin Implementation Plans

For regionally-specific water goals, consult Chapter 4 of the Colorado Water Plan (pgs. 71-144), which summarizes core elements from the Basin Implementation Plan for your area. The eight Basin Implementation Plans contain locally-specific detail on priorities and projects to close the gap between water supply and demand. For example, a “Theme” of the Colorado Basin Roundtable is to “Develop local water-conscious land use strategies.” The Basin Roundtable structure, created by the 2005 Colorado Water for the 21st Century Act helps inform the Colorado Water Plan through collaborative grassroots planning.

Using Water Plan Scenarios to Inform Local Planning

The Colorado Water Plan (pgs. 13-24) considered different water futures in five scenarios: Business as Usual, Weak Economy, Cooperative Growth, Adaptive Innovation, and Hot Growth. Each incorporates drivers such as climate change, population growth, and water conservation. You may find this framework and interactive tool useful when considering water supply and demand into the future. For more ideas on using these scenarios, see Integrating Water Efficiency into Land Use Planning in the Interior West (pgs. 26-27).

Other Resources

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