Colorado published its state Water Plan in 2015 and defined a process for cyclical updates of that plan. That process includes regular updates to water demand and supply data for each of the state’s eight major river basins in a tool called the Statewide Water Supply Initiative (SWSI). Once the data is available in SWSI stakeholders in each river basins collaboratively develop basin implementation plans (BIPs) to address and close future supply gaps. Lastly, the BIPs are compiled to define statewide priorities. Once the Water Plan is updated, the process begins again. This allows stakeholders in each basin, as well as the State, to stay current in their understanding of water supply opportunities and challenges facing each unique basin and re-evaluate existing or proposed new projects and processes to meet the gap. The most recent update to SWSI adopted scenario planning to better frame and evaluate uncertain future water supply and demand conditions. This presentation will provide an overview of how the scenario planning was done to account for uncertainties in climate change and growth projections and it will highlight the keys to successful collaboration between basin stakeholders.
