WSP01021

• File Number: 8441
• Description: Colorado Big Thompson Project
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 1/1/1987
• Title: Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District Waternews
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

Manager's
Message:

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As we reach this 50th f}nniversary of
the Northern Colorado Water
Conservancy District, it is ~ppropriate to
reflect on the goals and dedication of many
people who have strived oV,er the years to
assure northeastern Colorado the
availability of a stable wate~ supply.
This 50th Anniversaryiedition of
WATERNEWS contains m4ny historical
facts and anecdotes which b~ing into
perspective the hopes, frustq.,tions and
successes of the many leaded; within
northern Colorado who wer~ and are
responsible for providing the Water supplies
which have allowed this regia!) to grow and
prosper.
This W ATERNEWS is t!:te initial step
in a year~longprocess to researth and write
a full-blown history of the N<,rthem
Colorado Water Conservancy Pistrict. Dr.
Daniel Tyler, of the Colorado State
University History Departmet}.t, will be
working in conjunction with bistrict staff
to develop a book~length maduscript. We
anticipate this manuscript wil~ be a
document that not only places the
NCWCD in its historical persp~ctive, but
deals with the major issues suttounding
water development within nor}:heastem
Colorado. .
To this end we are continuing to seek
out persons who worked on any phase of
the project throughout the years1 If you or
someone you know was connect~d with the
building of the Colorado-Big Thompson
(C-BT) and you would like to contribute
information for this historical document,
please contact our office in Lo1/eland.
Lest we all forget, northea$tem
Colorado is a semi~arid desert r~gion.
When the settlers came to this ar~a in the
mid.. 1800's they recognized that their very
existence depended upon their ~bility to
capture, store and manage the scarce water
supplies that existed. Today, ov~r a
hundred years later, many of us ~ake the
availability of this valuable reso~rce for
granted. Many who have recentLy moved
to this area from more humid regions are
beginning to realize that water is; one of
our most precious resources here jn
Colorado.
The Northern Colorado Water
Conservancy District was formed ~50 years
ago as an agency to serve the citiiens of
northeastern Colorado in their efforts to
conserve, store and manage chis s~arce
resource. The philosophy of the aoard,
management and staff for the past 50 years
has been first and foremost to sen~e the
public. This basic philosophy will cqntinue
to guide the District's actions in the future.
even though the public interest is j
multifaceted and constantly changing.
These complex issues develop into;
conflicts on occasion. !
Water use conflicts are a histd,ical
fact. The District has always attemp*d to

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work out efficient compromises between
conflicting users, and as a result it has been
one of the leaders in showing now diverse
groups can work together.

Front Range. This change will require
better management of water above these
areas, including additional storage facilities
where necessary j and will demand careful

Some of the District's efforts include:
negotiations that established the first
minimum fish flows in the State of
Colorado below Granby Reservoir; major
compromise agreements with West Slope
water users that allowed for constrUction
of the Windy Gap Project; negotiation and
eve:J,1tual coop~r<ltion that resulted in the
Wild and Scenic River designation of the
C~che la Poudre River; and efforts that led
to the recent four parey agreement between
Denver, the West Slope, the Subdistrict
and District which established a
cooperative attitude towards developing
future water supplies for all residents of
Colorado.
Furthennore, the District has always
attempted to develop and operate the water
resources entrusted to it so as to minimize
any negative impact. Consequently, major
recreational facilities have been developed
in areas like the Shadow Mountain
National Recreational Area. As a result,
substantial economic advantages have
accrued to areas which might have been
adversely affected by projects such as the
C-BT.

As we move into our second 50 years,
the District is facing increased
responsibilities and major changes in the
way water is used. The techniques and
structures that are necessary to manage it
efficiently are also changing.
We face a future in which the first use
of all of our dean and valuable water
supplies will be made by the municipal!
industrial complexes located along the

Larry D. Simpson
Secrelary-Manag<r

re~regulation and management of those
supplies as they are used, reused, and reused
again. If done prudently, this management
system should allow us to sustain the
economic growth of northeastern Colorado
while we also support our vital agricultural
economy.
We look forward to the 'challenges
which face us over the next 50 years.' As
we continue to work toward better control
. and management over our water resources,
the District Board, management and staff
will continue to view the efficient
management of water supplies as our
primary responsibility. We cake seriously
this duty which has been entruSted to us
by the citizens of northeastern Colorado.
The District will continue to strive to
provide this region with the service that it
has come to expect. We will do our part
to provide a continued high quality of life
for northeastern Colorado residents.
We hope you find this anniversary
edition of WATERNEWS interesting.
Read_it, enjoy it, and pass iton to a friend.
If you are so inclined, pass along your
comments to our District staff.

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