Faced with declining stream flows, hotter temperatures, and curtailment risks, Colorado is investigating how demand management might help meet water obligations.

Demand management is the concept of voluntary, temporary, and compensated water conservation. Water saved in Colorado by Demand Management could be delivered to Lake Powell or other Upper Basin reservoirs from which obligations to the Lower Basin could be met if there were a Compact call. This could help Colorado, and other Upper Basin states, avoid or limit curtailment.

There are many barriers - legal, operational, economic, and political - that must be addressed before demand management could be implemented in Colorado, and implementation in the state is not a foregone conclusion. Colorado is exploring the option further under the leadership of the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) as one way to prepare for the potential of Colorado River Compact curtailment.

In March 2021, the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) released the first draft Demand Management Framework for public review. This draft consists of a matrix of options and elements of what a future demand management program might look like.

The Framework lays out options for:

· monitoring and verification of demand management projects

· education and outreach

· environmental considerations

· economic impacts and local governments

· ag impacts, and

· funding, among other considerations

Public review and comment on the Demand Management Framework are invited by CWCB by emailing demandmanagement@state.co.us or visiting engagecwcb.org.