Board Meeting 01/06/1983

• Board Meeting Date: 1/6/1983
• Description: CWCB Meeting - No mins.
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

COLORADO WATER CONSERVATION BOARD
823 State Centennial Building
1313 Sherman Street
Denver, COlorado 80203'

January 6-7, 1983

Great Western Dam
(City of Broomfield)

Introduction

The Great Western Dam is an earthfill dam located on Walnut
Creek about 5 miles southwest of Broomfield. The dam was con-
structed in 1904 by the Great Western Reservoir and Canal
company. The original dam had a maximum height of 35 feet and a
crest length of 950 feet. OVer the years the dam has been
enlarged and rehabilitated. TOday the maximum height is 60 feet
and the crest length is approximately 1,900 feet. The reservoir
currently has a capacity of 3,260 acre feet.

The dam and reservoir were purchased by the city of Broom-
field in 1963. Currently the reservoir is used to store water
for the city's municipal raw water supply.

Problem

As a result of a dam safety inspection in 1981, the State
Engineer's office has issued an order requiring that Broomfield
enlarge the spillway of the Gr~at Western Dam. In addition, the
reservoir's storage capacity n~eds to be increased to avoid
shortages in the city's current water demands and to satisfy even
greater future water demands. For these reasons a dam enlarge-
ment and rehabilitation project has been proposed.

Project Study

In August, 1982, the city of Broomfield submitted its appli-
cation to the Board. The BoarQ subsequently approved funds for a
feasibility study on the projeC:t. That study has now been
completed by Hydro Triad, Ltd., and is the basis for the
recommendation on this project.

proposed Project

The consultant studied sev~ral alternatives for this project
and concluded that the most viable one would be to c:onstruct a
new spillway and enlarge the e~isting reservoir. The proposed

600
Grt/West/dam