You are receiving this newsletter because you are a recognized Douglas County community leader and stakeholder.
As County leaders, we must protect our region. Our quality of life is directly connected to our commitment to build a tomorrow that preserves the best of today. This vision includes protecting our natural resources, utilizing our county’s resources in a fiscally-smart manner, and wisely planning for our future. Thank you for standing with us.
New Study Reveals Startling Reality of Front Range Water Woes
Month after month, scientists have produced a series of reports showing the depth and breadth of Colorado’s water challenges.
This time the focus is on the Colorado River, where a new study for the Colorado River Water Conservation District details how communities along the Front Range could be targeted for mandatory interstate water use reductions.
One of the top concerns for years has been the heavy and increasing demand of water off the Colorado River, which supplies water to Colorado and six other western states – including arid Lower Basin states of Arizona, California, and New Mexico.
Reports discuss the new study’s findings in detail – including that 96 percent of Front Range’s use of the Colorado River is subject to possible imminent cuts under the Colorado River Compact. This includes Denver, which gets roughly half of its water from the Colorado River.
The study’s authors sketched out the near-term challenge for Front Range municipalities.
First, they will increasingly rely on stressed reservoirs to manage expanding demand. But these communities also face the reality that they have more junior water rights compared to areas of the Western Slope.
Combine those factors with the potential effects of future droughts and continued dramatic growth in demand, the study shows, as one author told the Aspen Daily News that, “… junior municipal users need a secure water supply, so what will they do?”
This latest study points again to the wisdom of Douglas County launching a comprehensive, transparent and verifiable study of water resources and expected future demand.
The colliding realities of non-renewable sources – such as the Denver Aquifer – rapid population growth and drier years on average show why leaders need to be armed with the facts to be able to plan for a secure future.
Recent Headlines
Study: Front Range cities most vulnerable to possible Colorado River cuts
As competition grows for Colorado’s limited water resources, Front Range cities are disproportionately vulnerable to interstate water cuts on the beleaguered Colorado River, according to a recently updated study.
…Kanzer {the Colorado river district’s director of science and interstate matter} said that Front Range cities could try to acquire Western Slope water rights in order to protect itself from compact curtailment. Some water officials also are concerned over a section of the Colorado state constitution that privileges domestic water use over agricultural use, which could allow Front Range cities to avoid some aspects of curtailment in a serious shortage.
…Denver, Colorado’s largest city, receives about half of its water supply from the Colorado River basin.
In the meantime, the study shows that the Front Range is likely to rely on reservoir water to meet its growing water demands, meaning major Colorado reservoirs likely will become emptier over the coming decades. The study shows that if Colorado River flows drop to an 11 million acre-foot annual average and water demands increase as projected, Front Range water users could be emptying their storage reservoirs (notably Granby and Dillon) every year to keep themselves supplied.
…."Are we going from crisis to crisis, or, or are we going to save and figure out how we do better?" she {Becky Mitchell, Colorado's representative on the Upper Colorado River Commission} said, adding that includes preserving water for dry times.
Water cuts can be "softened" by conservation or looking for different sources of water, but "ultimately we need to be responsive when the river is not supplying what we hope and dream for," she said.
Mitchell said she hopes that everyone — the 40 million people, the 30 tribes, the seven states, the two countries — will ultimately be better off and the process will instill confidence in the future of the river's operations.
"We can be better off than we are with the constant chaos," she said.
Water Fights in US West Inspire New Judge Training
Officials in Colorado, Utah and Nevada are teaching judges how to handle the growing number cases over water rights.
…In Colorado a water court has been in place for decades; the judges there work on water cases full time. Utah’s law mandates that at least three district court judges specialize in water disputes in addition to handling other cases. Because of overwhelming interest, the state has 10 water judges. Nevada is following suit.
Did you know? All of Douglas County's major water providers depend heavily on Denver and Aurora for the majority of their renewable water through the WISE agreement.
Upcoming News from DCFF
Every other week, DCFF will report on important news and challenges impacting our community. We hope you will stay engaged and connected with us.
