Informing the Development of a Regional Water Conservation Plan for the Roaring Fork Watershed

Abstract

Regional planning efforts have become increasingly prevalent in resource management initiatives, particularly in water conservation planning. This report informs the development of a water conservation plan for the Roaring Fork Conservancy, Ruedi Water and Power Authority, and the Community Office of Resource Efficiency in Colorado’s Roaring Fork Watershed. Six cases of regional water conservation planning strategies across the Western United States are examined. The case studies provide insights and lessons learned about collaborative planning, the Colorado Water Conservation Board planning process, and regional plans with water conservation strategies focused on increasing instream flows. Several recommendations are offered for those seeking to develop a regional water conservation plan. The planning process should be open and transparent, to encourage various stakeholders to participate. The roles and responsibilities of plan participants should be established clearly and equitably. A plan should be flexible enough to accommodate different interests and needs, while maintaining a unifying mechanism or vision to sustain regional collaboration. Plan developers should maintain outreach to critical stakeholder groups and partner with them on plan development and implementation. Establishing a dedicated regional staff member to coordinate and manage plan implementation is important, as is establishing a dedicated funding source for plan development and implementation. Plan champions should be cultivated, and implementation incentivized. An overview of education and outreach campaign strategies that could be employed by the clients as part of a regional water conservation outreach campaign is provided. Emphasis is placed on strategies directed at changing individual water conservation behaviors. An analysis of ecological and hydrologic conditions on the Lower Crystal River that could motivate compliance with a regional water conservation plan is also provided. While the report was conducted for clients in Colorado’s Roaring Fork Watershed, many of the lessons and themes should be of interest to others involved in regional water conservation planning.