How does population growth in Colorado influence water demands?
Population growth and increasing economic wealth result in increased municipal demands for water. Recent research suggests that over the next two decades, municipal water demands in Colorado could grow by more than 250,000 acre-feet/year (roughly the amount of water used by a.2 million municipal residents). (An acre-foot is approximately 326,000 gallons, enough to flood an acre of land to a depth of one foot.) Over the next 100 years, this demand for new municipal water could exceed 1.2 million acre-feet. Political demands and legal requirements calling for water to be left instream for environmental and recreational purposes will also likely increase in coming decades.
