The massive growth in population centers across the southwestern and southern states in recent years has occurred in a water-short setting. It is not necessarily that water is not present, it is just that the water is allocated to other users or is protected for environmental purposes. Against this setting, water utility managers and regulators must find creative and innovative approaches to develop water supplies to meet their customers' future water needs. This paper describes one approach being pursued by water managers in the Denver, Colorado metropolitan area. This investigation of future water supply development for outlying suburban areas is focused on the integrated and conjunctive use operations of suburban local water systems with the regionally expansive and more robust Denver Water system. Alternative water management strategies are being investigated that use existing water supply facilities and water rights but provide for the development of additional system yield because of the interruptible and conjunctive use opportunities that can be implemented. The planning approach is broad-based because it involves senior staff from the suburban water districts, Denver Water and potentially affected river basins on the West Slope. Executive managers guide policy decisions that should be integrated into planning criteria. Board members participate in what is effectively a collaborative and evolutionary development of strategies that will be reflected in a Recommended Plan. Technical investigations therefore reflect the institutional cultures and needs of the various organizations. Adaptive management and consensus development approaches have been used by the Study Team to provide information for managers to progressively make informed decisions that are designed to lead towards implementation of an effective, long-term water management strategy. By mid-2002, it is anticipated that technical evaluations will be completed to a level that will allow the suburban water districts to petition Denver Water and West Slope interests for action on a recommended plan. Includes figures.