PROJ02013

• Contract/PO #: FS0071FX
• Contractor Name: New Consolidated Lower Boulder Reservoir and Ditch Company
• Contract Type: Grant
• Water District: 0
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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Introduction

The New Consolidated Lower Boulder Reservoir & Ditch Company holds 423 units of C-
BT water rights, a 25 CFS 1859 direct flow decree and a 97 CFS 1870 direct flow decree
all of which are used for agricultural irrigation water. The company's headworks and
diversion, and the start of the canal system known as Lower Boulder Ditch, is located
west of Erie, Colorado on Boulder Creek. The total service area of approximately 7,570
acres is generally in an area surrounding Erie, Dacono, Frederick, and Firestone. Figure
1 shows the location of Lower Boulder Ditch, notable rivers, creeks, and highways, and
surrounding towns.

In January of 2004, the Lower Boulder Ditch Company commissioned Aqua Engineering
to undertake a feasibility study with the intent of evaluating the opportunities and costs
associated with l110dernizing the canal.

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The focus of the effort was the opportunity to provide pressurized secondary water to
housing developments, parks, streetscapes, and golf courses that are envisioned to be
built. Pressurization in and of itself results in a fully modernized canal, even to the extent
that the canal may become obsolete and essentially replaced at some point by
pressurized piping. Urbanization at the current level is expected to occur rapidly over the
next 1 0 to 15 years.

Pressurized secondary water is envisioned to be, not only a key canal modernization
strategy, but a mechanism for actually sustaining an agricultural economy and setting
(Le. desirable open space areas) under Lower Boulder Ditch. Because of the potential
for rapid urbanization of Lower Boulder Ditch and to further the study objectives, we
have taken the approach of fast forwarding to a complete secondary supply build-out
scenario. Consideration is given to the whole system service area and a forecast of the
mix of landscape treatments and changing irrigated areas associated with new housing.

This work has been compiled through various elements of work with the Lower Boulder
Ditch Company (Lower Boulder), including several site visits and discussions with the
Board of Directors.

This study reports on the important elements of a pressurized secondary system for
Lower Boulder Ditch to include:

· A conceptual layout of the secondary supply infrastructure.
· Probable costs of infrastructure design and construction.
· Potential hookup and annual fees.
· Funding sources.
· Financial payback, including a forecast of revenues and expenses over the first
ten years.

Additionally, improvements to the existing system are discussed that could be
implemented if a pressurized system is not.

Aqua Engineering, Inc.
June 2004

Canal Modernization Feasibility Study
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