The enormous challenge of meeting future water needs facing water users and the State requires the collective input of all stakeholders and a collaborative decision-making process that reaches common ground to plan a sustainable water future that meets our numerous and diverse needs.

Development and management of water is complex, controversial, and at times contentious. Over the last few decades decisions regarding water have become increasingly complex as Colorado has experienced both unprecedented population growth and a greater emphasis on multiple uses of this precious resource.

The analysis of the stakeholders withing the Colorado Basin Roudtable and their network of contacts suggests that in this roundtable, not all interests have the same level of investment in the water roundtable process. It also suggests that the different interests are about more than just consumptive and non-consumptive or east and west.