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.
Water Commission Can Put Douglas County On The Path To Water Independence
Douglas County Commissioners last week completed the process of creating a county Water Commission, tasked initially with creating a comprehensive, verifiable, and transparent assessment of our water resources and a strategic countywide 2050 water plan.
It has often been said, “You cannot manage what you cannot measure.”
The Water Commission’s priority is to conduct a countywide measurement of current water supply and infrastructure, how long it will last and a strategic plan that identifies needs to secure our future. This will then provide the data and a roadmap to county leaders to manage the needs of our growing fast-growing county for decades, even centuries.
The wisdom of this long-overdue assessment is a recognition that the county is served by numerous water providers, both small and large, with different boards and professional staff.
In rural areas, ranches, farms and residences often rely on their own wells. But there is no comprehensive, unified assessment of the county’s total water assets and needs.
Although Douglas County does not directly provide water services, it has been involved in funding water and sanitation projects.
As Commissioner George Teal often points out, completing a countywide review of water assets rather than simply relying on the assertions of various water providers that have provided varying degrees of analysis and information is not a true detailed and comprehensive assessment of the County’s water assets and needs.
Furthermore, the Douglas County Water Commission will not only conduct a thorough review of its current water assets and future needs, but also then develop a strategic plan to ensure our residents and businesses have the water and infrastructure we need to protect our future prosperity and vitality.
There is also an economic benefit for the County to complete this review. Any business looking to locate or expand in Douglas County, and create jobs, will sooner or later ask a one-word question: “Water?”
Nothing happens until that question is answered.
Other neighboring counties know this. It is great news that Douglas County is joining this effort across Colorado which will help preserve our quality of life and protect our economy going forward.
The Water Commission is an opportunity for stakeholders of differing views to come together to take the first step in not only providing water security for Douglas County’s future – but water independence.
Recent Headlines
Thornton files new permit to build Larimer County water pipeline as housing development stalls
City will try again to get its water rights from the Poudre River after a public relations blitz; more than 10,000 potential Thornton homes are on hold as they wait for taps
The city of Thornton took a second shot Monday at finishing a key 70-mile water pipeline by renewing its request for Larimer County to approve the first 10 miles, as more than 10,000 potential homes in Thornton await certainty on finding a water tap.
Thornton has staged a quiet public relations blitz with Larimer County residents bordering the redrawn pipeline route after the northern Colorado county’s commissioners rejected the first map. Larimer County has the right to review Thornton’s pipeline under state “1041” regulations on land use for big projects.
...Thornton says pressure to land the Poudre water continues to build, as the city’s other supplies get tapped out by ongoing growth. The city could grow to 240,000 people by 2040, according to economic projections, but thousands of applications for plat approvals for developments are on hold until bigger water supplies are guaranteed. Other Front Range cities and towns have bumped up against similar constraints in recent years.
“We’ve got quite a few housing projects that are stalled because we can’t guarantee water, and one of those is a pretty significant affordable housing component for Adams County,” Barnes said.
A new pipeline is on track to bring water to northern El Paso County next year
A $73 million project is underway to create a more sustainable water system for part of northern El Paso County.
The Northern Water Delivery System will allow the Triview Metropolitan District in Monument to use renewable water rights to help replace its diminishing groundwater resources, according to District Manager Jim McGrady.
“This project is something that brings renewable water into northern El Paso County in an area that is not blessed with a lot of Denver Basin groundwater,” he said. “The production levels in the Denver Basin Wells even today are not that great and it's not going to get better. It's only going to get worse. This project is something that will help mitigate the decline in production in those (wells).
Did you know? ProPublica and The Desert Sun found that a majority of the water consumed by farms in California's Imperial Valley goes to members of just 20 extended families. The Imperial Valley is one of the driest stretches of California desert. This means that these 20 farming families use more water from the Colorado River than some Western states. They used about 1 in every 7 drops that flowed through the Lower Basin of the Colorado River in 2022, or about 387 billion gallons.
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.
