| OCR Text |
Show The OBE-ERS projections for the Region were modified somewhat to more closely reflect regional trends. These "Modified OBE-ERS" projections have been used in development of the Lower Colorado Region comprehensive framework program. A comparison of the Modified OBE-ERS and OBE-ERS projections is included in the latter part of Appendix IV, Economic Base and Projections. Population is expected to increase nearly h times, municipal and industrial water requirements over 6 times, electric energy requirements over k2 -times, recreation demand over 6 times, and flood damage will increase nearly 8 times by the year 2020. Personal per capita income in the Region was $2,292, about 90 percent of the national average in 1965, and by year 2020 is projected to almost equal the national average of more than $12,000. Water Supply Much of the Region's economy is sustained by utilizing ground-water reserves, in 1965» the depletion rate of these reserves reached 2.5 million acre-feet annually due largely to the lack of facilities for enabling the Region to utilize its share of Colorado River water. The Southern Nevada Water Project, presently under construction, the Central Arizona Project, and the Dixie Project in Utah must be completed at an early date in order for the Region to utilize the remainder of the avail- able renewable water supplies. In the absence of an imported water supply, ground-water overdraft is expected to continue and the regional water deficiency is projected to reach 4.50 million acre-feet annually by year 2020. Water resource-oriented programs need to be accelerated in the future with respect to both planning and implementation if future requirements are to be satisfied on a timely schedule. The basic long-range objective is augmentation of the Region's water supplies in sufficient increments to meet future water requirements and reduce ground-water overdraft. It is recognized that a program of this magnitude will probably require time, in the o:rder of 20 years, to implement. In the meantime, all possibilities for lessening the effects of the increasing water deficiencies must be explored. The framework program includes expansion of water conservation and management practices, more intensive water reuse, vegetative management for increased water yields, and treatment of brackish water. Water sal- vage programs and vegetative management programs for increased water yield are expected to add about 500,000 acre-feet annually to the local water supply by 2020. Further studies are needed to evaluate the potential of untapped ground-water reserves in remote basins which could provide an interim wetter supply. viii |
