CT2016-2515 Approval Letter

• Contract/PO #: CT2016-2515
• Contractor Name: Lookout Mountain Water District
• Contract Type: Loan
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Approval Letter

Lookout Mountain Water District Agenda Item 7a
November 18-19, 2015 Board Meeting (Updated November 20, 2015)
Page 3 of 6
The District is a Colorado special district, a division of the government of the State of Colorado formed
pursuant to the Special District Act, Title 32, Colorado Revised Statutes, by decree of the District Court
in Jefferson County, Colorado, in Civil Action 88CV0265, March, 1988.
The District serves approximately 565 taps, of which 502 are active and the remaining are inactive. Of
the inactive taps, approximately 35 are presently assigned to property and 30 are unassigned, all of
which the District has a future obligation to serve upon activation. The District's active tap service
composition is comprised of 95% residential, 2.5% tax-exempt or government, and 2.5% commercial
users.
Water Rights
The District owns six shares of the Farmers High Line Canal, which diverts water from Clear Creek with
priorities ranging from 1862 through 1895. This water is exchanged up to the District's service area
pursuant to an exchange decree, in Case No. 87CW303, at rates of up to 4.0 cfs. Water that is stored in
Lookout Mountain Reservoir can be released to Clear Creek and exchanged up Beaver Brook at a
maximum rate of 2.0 cfs, per a decree in Case No. 94CW291.
The following table shows a summary of the District's water rights:
TABLE 1: STORAGE RIGHTS
Name Amount Appropriation Adjudication Water Court
Date Date Case No.
Lower Beaver
Brook Reservoir 24.16 acre-feet (original, absolute) 12/31/1903 10/9/1914 CA 41340
Lower Beaver 6.64 acre-feet (enlargement, absolute) 7/29/1917 5/13/1936 CA 60054
Brook Reservoir
Lookout Mountain 18.92 acre-feet (original, absolute) 7/29/1917 5/13/1936 CA 60054
Reservoir
Lookout Mountain
82.17 acre-feet (enlargement, absolute) 7/29/1917 5/13/1936 CA 60054
Reservoir
Upper Beaver 257.22 acre-feet(original, absolute) 8/27/1924 5/13/1936 CA 60052
Brook Reservoir
Upper Beaver 102.0 acre-feet (1st enlargement, cond.) 12/29/2011 12/31/2011 11CW287
Brook Reservoir 38.3 acre-feet (refill, conditional)
Upper Beaver 38.0 acre-feet (2nd enlargement, cond.)
12/31/2013 12/31/2013 13CW3179
Brook Reservoir 5.8 acre-feet (refill, conditional)
Project Description
The purpose of the project is to provide for additional reservoir storage volume to provide a reliable
water supply for the District, especially during periods of drought.
The following alternatives were considered:
Alternative 1 - Do Nothing: This alternative was considered undesirable because it would not provide
the District with needed storage to provide reliable service to tap owners during periods of shortage.
Selected Alternative 2 - Add storage within Upper Beaver Brook Reservoir by constructing a
labyrinth weir spillway: This alternative would provide additional storage volume in the Upper Beaver
Brook Reservoir by constructing a new, higher labyrinth weir spillway within the limits of the existing
spillway rock-cut channel, thereby raising the maximum water surface of the dam. With the existing
dam height and accommodating terrain surrounding the existing reservoir, the proposed new spillway
will add 134.2 acre-feet to the existing 257.2 acre-feet for a total storage of 391.4 acre-feet. At an