HOW FAR WE HAVE COME AND WHERE WE HAVE TO
GO
Water Conservation Isn’t the
Only Solution
As
public awareness has increased about declining aquifer levels, residents have
adopted water saving methods to reduce the demand for water. While these
efforts have reduced overall water demand in Castle Pines North, water
conservation alone cannot be viewed as the only solution to the community’s water
needs. The sheer volume of demand by surrounding communities also impacts
Castle Pines North’s primary water resource--the Denver Aquifer Basins.
Finding
renewable water resources is vital in order to meet the Castle Pines North
Metropolitan District’s existing demand for water by growing populations. It is
not practical to drill additional wells into a basin that cannot be
replenished. The number and location of wells is strictly regulated and impacts
neighboring communities. Castle Pines North lacks the needed space for more wells.
Arapahoe
Basin water levels are dropping at a rate of 25 feet per year and well
production rates are declining as a result of that reduction. In the future bedrock
groundwater wells will provide interim and back up supplies of water, but
cannot be relied upon as long-term supply.
Renewable Water Sources are
Key
In
2006, a study of the District’s historical water use and projected demands was
conducted by Camp Dresser McKee. Their conclusion was pivotal in directing the
Metropolitan District’s course of action that would be necessary to ensure the
ability to fulfill the community’s future water demands.
CPNMD
quickly adopted a proactive approach to the dilemma and focused on the key
areas needed to fulfill future water use needs and identifying how to acquire
the necessary components for:
· Water
storage
· Surface
water supplies
· Water
treatment and transmission
Great Strides Made In
Obtaining Resources
WHAT IS IN PLACE
Water Storage
Water
stored in reservoirs allows for immediate access to renewable water. Such
storage would make it possible to shut down well operations during the months
with off-peak usage (October through April), thus saving a significant amount
on expenditures for electricity to operate the pumps. Allowing the pumps to
"rest” also results in additional savings on maintenance and repair costs.
Reuter Hess Reservoir
In 2008, CPNMD
purchased 1,500 acre-feet of storage space, plus sufficient outlet capacity to
meet maximum day demands. The reservoir was initially constructed to serve customers
of the Parker Water and Sanitation District. Storage capacity was increased to
accommodate other water providers in Douglas County. Located in Parker,
partners in the project include CPNMD, Castle Rock and Stonegate. Construction
is scheduled for completion in 2011.
Surface Water
Castle
Pines North Metropolitan District has acquired renewable supplies of surface
water through the purchase of several water rights. Surface water sources are
naturally replenished each year by rainfall and snowmelt. These supplies will
yield a total of 1,050 acre-feet
of water to CPNMD which represents approximately 60 percent of the District’s
overall annual water demand.
Anders Brothers Farm
CPNMD acquired approximately 253 acre-feet of senior water rights in April 2009
along with approximately 280 acres of land that will be used by the District to
maintain the historic use of these agricultural shares until they have been
converted from agricultural use to municipal use. This conversion process is estimated to take approximately
five years as the water rights proceed through water court. The water rights
acquired by the District include 80 shares of the Fulton Irrigation Company that generates an average annual yield of
128 acre-feet and one-half share of the Platteville
Irrigation and Mining Company that generates an annual average yield of 125
acre-feet.
Fulton Irrigation Company
One
of the most senior rights on the Lower South Platte River is the Fulton
Irrigation Company that diverts water from the South Platte River near
Brighton, Colorado. In October
2009 the District purchased an additional 25 shares of the Fulton Irrigation
Company. These shares are projected to generate an annual average yield 35
acre-feet of water.
Hock Hocking Mine Water Rights
This
water right generates an average annual yield of 330 acre-feet of water. This
water is diverted near Fairplay, Colorado, and flows down the Upper South
Platte River into Chatfield Reservoir.
FUTURE PROJECTS
WISE Partnership (Water Infrastructure & Supply Efficiency)
Combining
efforts and establishing intergovernmental agreements allows for the
integration and most efficient use of available water resources, and provides a
backup for peak demand and drought periods. These partnerships also make the
acquisition of renewable water resources attainable by sharing in the enormous
overall costs.
CPNMD
has entered into one such agreement with Denver, Aurora and South Metro Water
Supply Authority.
Additional Water Storage
Chatfield Reservoir Reallocation
This project will reallocate reservoir
storage space from flood control use to multi-purpose use to address the water
supply needs within the South Platte River basin. It offers CPNMD the potential
for 881 acre-feet of water storage. The project is going through an
Environmental Impact Study (EIS). That study will be available for public
review in early 2010.
Additional
Surface Water
Fulton Irrigation
Company
The
District is currently performing due diligence on approximately 60 additional
shares of the Fulton Irrigation Company and hopes to close those purchases by
the end of 2009. The anticipated yield will add an additional 96 acre-feet of
renewable water.
Plum Creek Water
Rights
These 2004 water rights are
currently being adjudicated in water court and are anticipated to be decreed in
late 2010. As "junior” water rights, water may only be diverted during years of
high amounts of rainfall and snowmelt. It is planned to store this water source
in Rueter Hess Reservoir and Chatfield, thereby optimizing the benefit.
Water
Treatment and Transmission
Centennial
to Castle Pines North Interconnect Project
This distribution system is designed
to divert water from Plum Creek through a 24-inch pipeline from Centennial to be used
directly by the District and also be delivered to Rueter Hess Reservoir for
storage. The system will have three connection points in Castle Pines North:
·
near
Lift Station 3 on Monarch Boulevard
·
far
north end of the District near Serena Drive
·
Hidden
Point
East
Cherry Creek Valley Pipeline (ECCV)
This is a major pipeline project to
transport water from Barr Lake to the ECCV holding tank located at E-470 and
Smoky Hill Road. South Metro Water Supply Authority (SMWSA) is in the process
of purchasing a portion of the pipeline’s capacity to convey water. As a member
of the SMWSA, Castle Pines North Metropolitan District will have the option to
share in this project. Future plans include a treatment plant and water rights.
Gravel
Pit Storage
CPNMD is
working in conjunction with the South Metro Water Supply Authority and is in
the process of performing diligence on two gravel pit reservoirs located on the
Lower South Platte River near Brighton. These gravel pits will be
reclaimed in such a manner as to allow for the storage of up to 2,500 acre-feet.
These storage facilities
can be used to capture water in the high flow months, which occur in the late
spring and early summer.
