WSP01843

• File Number: 5000.100
• Description: Flood Protection Section - Coal Creek Project
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 7/21/1980
• Author: City of Louisville
• Title: City of Louisville - Coal Creek Proposal
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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001726

MUSICK, WILLIAMSON, SCHWARTZ,
LEAVENWORTH & COPE, P. C.

Water Quality Control Commission
June 27, 1980
Page Two

The proposed Class 1 classification is an upgrading of the
stream, and as the evidence indicates that the benefits which
will result from such upgrading are questionable, Louisville
believes that the economics of meeting such a classification
are particularly important in this case. Presently, the City
estimates that it will cost $2,138,000 for the City to treat
the ammonia levels that will be required by the 0.06 mg/l intra-stream
standard for a 2.68 MGD plant. In addition, there are two other
communities, Lafayette and Erie, which also discharge into Coal
Creek. The costs of upgrading those facilities should also be
considered in weighing the benefits to be achieved by the 0.06
mg/l unionized ammonia standard.

II. Class 2-Warm Water Aquatic Life Classification.

On April 8, 1980, Gary Broetzman of the Water Quality Control
Division submitted a memorandum to the Water Quality Control
Commission ("Commission") setting forth some key issues for the
South Platte River proposed stream classifications. On page 2,
paragraph 4, concerning Coal Creek, Mr. Broetzman stated as follows:

Although the present quality along the stream
in the lower reaches is poor, we propose
a Class 1 Warm Water Aquatic Lire classi-
fication because of the capabilities to
restore such a habitat once a municipal point
source discharge is improved.

Thus, the WQCD determined to propose an upgrading for the stretch
of Coal Creek which includes the Louisville discharge point.

The proposed classification for this segment of Coal Creek
is Class I-Warm Water Aquatic Life, a classification which requires
waters which "provide, or could provide, habitat consisting of
water quality levels and other considerations such as flow and
streambed characteristics which could protect and maintain a
wide variety of warm water biota, including a sensitive species."

Louisville believes that Class 2-Warm Water Aquatic Life
is more appropriate for this segment of the stream. This classifi-
cation states that "these are waters where the potential variety
of life forms is presently limited primarily by flow and streambed
characteristics. Standards will be assigned to protect existing
species and encourage the establishment of more sensitive species
which are compatible with the flow and streambed characteristics."