El Paso County, on the Front Range of the Colorado Rockies, covers approximately 2,158 square miles and has an estimated 2005 population of 561,701.1 In this semi-arid region, water supply is managed through many separate water districts, each with its own exclusive supply of water. Districts range in size both by population and water availability. 69% of El Paso County's current population, including all residents of the city of Colorado Springs and selected unincorporated areas. This paper focuses on portions of the county not served by CSU, especially in the northern region.
This memorandum provides information about the interstate compacts, Supreme Court decrees, and international treaties that govern Colorado's use of interstate streams. Specifically, it gives a brief summary of the history of each of the compacts and outlines the specific components and requirements of each compact currently in state law. In addition, the memorandum discusses the two memoranda, the two Supreme Court decrees, and the two international treaties that govern rivers in Colorado. Appendix A outlines the technical components of the laws affecting Colorado's rivers.
