PUB00053

• Year: 1999
• Title: Metropolitian Water Supply Investigation Final Report
• Author: Hydrosphere Resource Consultants
• Description: Metropolitian Water Supply Investigation Final Report
• Publications - Doc Type: Water Resource Studies

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Metropolitan Water Supply Investigation

MWSI Process

. The Colorado Department of Natural Resources and several South Platte water
users were involved in extensive negotiations with the U.S. Department of the
Interior and the States of Wyoming and Nebraska aimed at addressing Platte
River endangered species issues. These negotiations resulted in the Platte River
Endangered Species Cooperative Agreement. Data and analytical tools developed
for the MWSI became the basis for Colorado's Plan for Future South Platte River
Depletions,

. The Colorado Department of Natural Resources and several Colorado River
water users continued their involvement in the Colorado River Recovery
Implementation Program throughout the course of the MWSI.

. The Colorado Division of Water Resources and the Colorado Water
Conservation Board, in response to direction from the General Assembly (Senate
Bill 96-74), initiated the Denver Basin and South Platte River Basin Technical
Study. The primary purposes of this investigation were to investigate the
adequacy of existing replacement/relinquishment requirements for Denver Basin
wells and the impacts of conservation, water reuse, conjunctive use and runoff
from impervious surfaces on water rights and water supplies. In addition,
investigations were initiated to estimate the economic life of the Denver Basin
Aquifers (Senate Bill 96-153).

· In conjunction with the MWSI, the Colorado Water Conservation Board
initiated discussions with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to investigate the
feasibility of allocation or reallocation of Chatfield Reservoir storage for water
supply purposes.

· The U.S. Forest Service began conducting a Wild and Scenic Rivers Program
Eligibility Study for the South Platte River above Denver.

Each of these efforts was designed to address specific problems or objectives for the
individual sponsoring agencies and each contributed unique information to the MWSI. In
several cases, the MWSI provided important information and analytical capabilities that
were critical for the success or continued progress of these other studies and planning
processes.

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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