The Yampa/White Basin covers roughly 10,500 square miles in northwest Colorado and south-central Wyoming. The largest cities or towns in the basin are Steamboat Springs (pop. 10,402) and Craig (pop. 9,185).
The Southwest Basin is projected to increase in municipal and industrial (M&I) water demand between 17,000 acre feet (AF) and 27,000 AF by 2050 with passive conservation included.
To learn more about the Yampa/White Basin, see the
Basin Fact Sheet.
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Meeting Date
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Meeting Materials
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| April 18, 2012 |
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| January 18, 2012 |
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| October 19, 2011 |
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Yampa/White Basin Roundtable (BRT) Priorities
- Address potential energy development needs
- Ensure endangered species’ needs do not negatively impact future in-basin uses
- Address compact delivery impacts to existing and future in-basin water rights
- Address potential agricultural firming needs
- Ensure adequate water for future needs
- M&I
- Agricultural
- Environmental
- Recreational
Yampa/White BRT Activities and Accomplishments For other M&I demands beyond oil shale requirements, the roundtable is participating in the statewide process. The roundtable gathered a subcommittee of city and county representatives to ensure the accuracy of population projections, per capita water demands, and identified projects and processes. In addition, the roundtable has funded an agricultural needs assessment and an Energy Water Needs Study (with the
Colorado Basin Roundtable) through a
Water Supply Reserve Account (WSRA) grant. Roundtable members believe that the Yampa/White is likely the only basin that could see an increase in irrigated agricultural acres over the next 40 years. The Yampa/White completed the Phase I mapping of the nonconsumptive needs assessment (NCNA). The roundtable’s approach was to select reaches where environmental and recreational attributes were focused. The roundtable also received a WSRA grant to conduct the
Watershed Flow Evaluation Tool within its nonconsumptive focus areas.
Yampa/White Basin’s Major Projects and Programs
- Stagecoach Reservoir Enlargement
- Morrison Creek Reservoir
- Elkhead Reservoir Enlargement
- Alluvial Wells
- Yampa/White Education and Outreach Initiative: Water Forums, Workshops and Tours
| Meetings |
Quarterly, alternating between Craig, Meeker and Steamboat Springs |
| Leadership |
- Chair: Tom Gray
- Vice-Chairs: Tom Sharp and Forrest Luke
- Representatives: Dan Birch and Jeff Devere
- Recorder: Paul Strong
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| Subcommittees |
- Agriculture
- Energy
- Needs Assessment
- Nonconsumptive Needs Assessment
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| Roundtable Governance |
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