Protect Against Out of Basin Threats

This page summarizes concerns and opportunities from all stakeholders related to trans-mountain diversions, demands from the lower basin states and a call on the Colorado River Compact.

The concerns compiled below are: 1) those that were commonly brought up in interviews, either by a group of stakeholders (i.e. all ag) or by many stakeholders within a specific geographic area, or 2) data that members of the IWMP stakeholder team found notable. They do not include all concerns that were mentioned, but rather reflect themes that we heard.

When asked about their top concerns in the basin, all stakeholder groups mentioned TMDs/ Lower Basin demands/Colorado River Compact calls. It was enough of a common concern among all stakeholders that we have dedicated it its own section on this website. You can view the top concerns of each stakeholder group, and where TMD/Compact issues fell in relation to other issues, at the top of the Agricultural, M&I and Env/Rec pages.

A common theme is that people are worried that the water we have will be taken away. Below are the percentage of respondents that identified this issue as one of their top concerns.

The following opportunities were identified by either stakeholders themselves, or by a member of the IWMP team that conducted stakeholder outreach. This is not an exhaustive list, and there is a space for your ideas on the Opportunities Summary page.

Actions to protect against out-of-basin diversions

1. On-the-ground actions to protect Basin in long term from compact calls and TMDs – e.g., better measurement of use and flow, protect return flow patterns from irrigation, strategic environmental flow targets/rights, strategic storage, endangered fish programs, etc.