PUB00048

• Year: 1992
• Title: Systems Integration as a Water Supply Source for the Denver Metropolitan Area
• CWCB Section: Water Conservation & Drought Planning
• Author: Hydrosphere Resource Consultants
• Description: Overview of water supply alternatives and suggestion for process to address future water supply needs of the Denver Metro Area
• Publications - Doc Type: Historical

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DRAFT 8/24/92, Page 18

Incorporating the water rights, storage and delivery facilities of the Barr Lake Division
of the Farmers Reservoir and Irrigation Company, the Burlington Ditch and Reservoir
Company and the Henryl ynn Irrigation District (called "the Companies" in the following
comments), the Barr Lake Plan could potentially allow the integration of 100,000 AF of
average annual diversions and 150,000 AF of storage capacity into the municipal water supply
system of the Denver metro area. The Companies form the largest combined irrigation system
in the Denver metro area and therefore play an important role in regional water resource
management.

Among the aspects which make the Barr Lake Plan significant are the following:

I. The points of diversion of the Companies' water rights are in relatively close
proximity to the metro Denver area wastewater treatment plant.

2. The magnitude of the Companies' water rights are great enough to have a significant
impact on considerations related to municipal water supply, wastewater treatment
and South Platte streamflow issues.

3. The possibility of using the Companies' existing surface and groundwater storage
could permit more efficient management of existing water resources owned by
municipalities (including trans-mountain water supplies) but not optimally utilized
because of the lack of storage facilities in appropriate locations.

4. The location and size of the water rights concerned are such that an improvement of
South Platte river water quality in the reach below the Metro Denver Wastewater
Treatment Plant might be possible through an effluent exchange arrangement.

5. The location of the Companies' facilities could allow for integrating the stormwater
drainage system for the new Denver Airport into a combined water
resource/wastewater system which could address both water quality and quantity
aspects of airport-related drainage considerations.

6. The proposed plan involves the development of a new wastewater treatment facility
which promises to be a cost effective alternative to improvements presently being
considered for the Denver Metro Wastewater Treatment Plant.

7. The proposed plan could result in an improvement of the water quality and changed
storage practices in Barr Lake and other reservoirs, leading to improved wildlife and
fishing habitat and associated improved recreational resources.

Issues to be addressed

There are many aspects of the Barr Lake Plan which require elucidation and careful
consideration of consequences and impacts. The Barr Lake Plan document issued by the Third
Creek Corporation on July 24, 1992 points out many of the potential benefits, and the points
listed above recapitulate them briefly. Some uncertainties and potential impacts associated with
the plan are as follows:

1. A previous attempt by Northglenn to develop a municipal/agricultural cooperative
exchange and water supply plan ran into difficulties because much of the
agricultural water rights ownership changed in such a way as to render the
continued supply of water and acceptance of treated municipal wastewater for use
on the historically irrigated land problematic. There are certainly ways that this
problem could be avoided, but they must be carefully evaluated and dealt with.