BOARD00185

• Board Meeting Date: 11/25/2002
• Description: CF Section - New Loans - Little Thompson Water District - Proposed Dry Creek Reservoir
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
www.cwcb.state.co.us

TO:

FROM:

MEMORANDUM

Bill Owens
Govern'or

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

Bruce Johnson, P.E. $~%~' .
Mike Serlet, P.E., Chief
Water Supply Planning an mance Section

Greg E. Walcher
Executive Director

Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

DATE: November 15, 2002

SUBJECT: Agenda Item 20f, November 25-26, Board Meeting
Water Supply Planning and Finance Section - New Loans
Little Thompson Water District - Proposed Dry Creek Reservoir

Introduction

The Little Thompson Water District (L TWD) is applying for a $3,937,500 loan to construct a new water
storage reservoir in a 50/50 partnership with the Central Weld County Water District (CWCWD). Both
districts would jointly build, own and operate the proposed reservoir. The estimated total cost of the
project is $10,500,000. In conjunction with this loan request, the CWCWD is also submitting a
$3,937,500 loan request. Please see the attached project summary and map.

Backaround

L TWD and CWCWD jointly own the Carter Lake Filter Plant that treats Colorado-Big Thompson (C-
BT) water for use by their customers. Currently, the filter plant has no raw water storage facility. All
water treated by the plant is delivered directly from Carter Lake to the filter plant through the St.
Vrain Supply Canal. Consequently, the Districts are entirely dependent on availability of water from
Carter Lake. In wet years, the Districts are unable to treat and store all of the water to which they
are entitled, and consequently must take less than their water rights would allow. Over the last 10
years, the Districts together have had to carry over or lose approximately 1000 acre-feet per year.
In dry years, the Districts can have a shortage of water that cannot be overcome by supply from
Carter Lake, and consequently are forced to meet their current demands by augmenting with water
from outside entities. In addition, any condition that would interrupt supply from Carter Lake such
as maintenance to Carter Lake or the St. Vrain Supply Canal also would cause interruption in
operation of the treatment plant. Currently, the only storage the Districts have, other than Carter
Lake, is in their treated water storage tanks. These tanks can meet the needs of the Districts for
only about eight hours. The proposed reservoir, located west of Berthoud and 2-3 miles southeast
of the Carter Lake Filter Plant, would allow storage of 5200 acre feet of raw water for use at the
Filter Plant.

Flood Protection. Water Supply Planning and Finance. Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation and Drought Planning