Ummm... the Arkansas River is low enough, at times, around here in Tulsa, already. If they take any more out of it, hoo-boy! ... we’re not liable to have a river here ... :-)
According to the USGS, the mean daily discharge of the Arkansas River near Nathrop, Colorado, is about 16,500 gallons per second in June. Yeah, let's deny those 15 people jobs because a bunch of silk stocking yuppies are too lazy to do math.
I'm in BA. Ocassionally it looks like a river. Normally it looks like a series of mud puddles.
I doubt we'll notice much difference when they start taking water out.
I'd like to see them build some dams to keep water in it, especially through Jenks (which is where I am when I see it).