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Colorado Water Center

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https://hdl.handle.net/10217/195462
The Colorado Water Center (CoWC) is a merger of the CSU Water Center and the Colorado Water Institute, previously known as the Colorado Water Resources Research Institute. The Colorado Water Center has published hundreds of water-related research reports and studies dating back to 1965. These digital collections include annual reports, completion reports, information series, technical reports, special reports, open file reports, "Water in the Balance" publications, Colorado Water newsletters, and other publications.

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Browsing Colorado Water Center by Author "Altennhofen, Jon, author"

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    Evaluation of SAMSON for use in a South Platte decision support system
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 1996) Raymond, John H., author; Garcia, Luis Alfredo, author; Lange, Robert, author; Altennhofen, Jon, author; Bennet, Ray, author; Hall, James R., author; Leaf, Forest, author; Odor, Jack, author; Colorado Water Resources Research Institute, publisher
    The South Platte River basin is a tributary of the Missouri River. Three states share the basin (Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming), with most of the basin in Colorado (79 percent). Colorado's population has been growing rapidly, especially in Front-Range cities, increasing the demand on water resources in the basin. Highly productive plains agriculture is also a substantial user of water resources and new uses also can be expected for wildlife and recreation. A decision support system (DSS) is being planned by the State of Colorado for water management in South Platte River Basin. Anticipated needs of the system include data development and some model development specific to the South Platte. Due to the unique characteristics of the South Platte River Basin, the implementation of this framework is expected to be slightly different from other basins in Colorado. The SAMSON (Stream-Aquifer Model for Management by SimulatiON) Model, developed in the 1980s specifically for the South Platte River Basin, has been recommended by past studies for use in a South Platte DSS. This report provides and analysis of the current SAMSON model. The conclusions of this report recommend that SAMSON in its present form not be used as part of a DSS, largely due to recent developments in modeling philosophy, application, and use. SAMSON proved the entire South Platte River Basin system could be effectively modeled, and pointed to the priorities for data collection and development. Components of SAMSON could be part of future DSS systems, but they should be separated into individual modules and evaluated individually against existing models. In summary, the analysis of SAMSON clearly show the need for a modular and data-centered approach for a South Platte DSS.
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    South Platte mapping and analysis program (SPMAP): decision support tools for the Lower South Platte
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2001-01) Garcia, Luis Alfredo, author; Patterson, Dave, author; Lange, Robert W., author; Altennhofen, Jon, author; Hall, James R., author; Leaf, Forest, author; Odor, Jack, author; Colorado Water Resources Research Institute, publisher
    To address the demands of competing water users, water managers require the use of computer-based technology to support decision making, especially in the lower portion of the South Platte Basin where the river is underlain by a shallow alluvial aquifer and the highest demand is from irrigated agriculture. In conjunction with an advisory committee comprised of representatives of water user organizations in the Lower South Platte Basin, modeling and analysis tools have been developed by the Integrated Decision Support (IDS) Group to address the informational needs of these competing water user groups. These tools are expressly designed for the combination of ground and surface water supplies found in the Lower South Platte Basin. Water user organizations are applying these tools in water resources planning and using them to determine augmentation requirements and recharge benefits to flows in the South Platte River. Tools include the development of a spatial database with analysis tools, a consumptive use model for the South Platte, and a stream depletion factor interface to determine the impacts of groundwater withdrawals and recharges on river flows. This report will detail the software developed and provide a description of how these tool are being used to meet the needs of water providers in the Lower South Platte Basin. This decision support system is a dynamic tool where water users can test various parameters of many different scenarios to determine the best decisions now and in the future.