C153659 Final Report

• Contract/PO #: C153659
• Contractor Name: Metropolitan Water Supply Investigation
• Contract Type: Loan
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Report

Metropolitan Water Supply Investigation Introduction
1 . Introduction
1 .1 . PREFACE
This report documents the Metropolitan Water Supply Investigation(MWSI)which was
initiated in the fall of 1993 following authorization of the investigation by the Colorado
General Assembly and formation of the Front Range Water Forum under an Executive -
Order(see Appendix 1) issued by Governor Roy Romer. The results of the MWSI can be
characterized as consisting of two critical elements:
1) The establishment of a process and practice of cooperative technical
collaboration and communication between metro Denver area water providers;
and
2) The preliminary investigation of several potential cooperative water supply
opportunities.
The MWSI was intended to encourage discussions and provide technical support for
cooperative water supply initiatives in a manner that would be complementary to and
compatible with the water supply planning efforts of individual water providers. The
MWSI was not intended to substitute for or compete with these individual efforts.
It is important to note that the water supply opportunities discussed in this report involve
the use of facilities and water rights that are currently owned by individual water
providers, and in most cases would affect other water-dependent interests.
Implementation of any of these water supply opportunities would be at the discretion of
the relevant entities and would depend upon voluntary cooperation between affected
parties.
Several of the cooperative water supply opportunities described in this report are the
subject of more detailed ongoing investigations of technical, environmental and
institutional issues. Specifically,these efforts include:
1. The Southern Regional Cooperative Action Study,which is examining the hydrologic
and operational aspects of conjunctive use of surface and groundwater systems in
southern parts of the metro area. Phase 1 of this Study has been completed.
2. The Northeast Regional Cooperative Action Study, which is examining the
operational,water rights and hydrologic aspects of a cooperative regional potable
water supply project in the northeast quadrant of the metro area.
3. The Northwest Regional Cooperative Action Study,which is examining options for
integrated management of storage and conveyance facilities in the northwest quadrant
of the metro area, including reservoir enlargements and new storage.
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Prepared for the Colorado Water Conservation Board,Colorado Department of Natural Resources by
Hydrosphere Resource Consultants,1002 Walnut Street,Suite 200,Boulder,CO 80302