South Platte

Nov 21, 2024 | watereducationcolorado.org | Jerd Smith |South Platte

Arapahoe County has enough water to meet its needs through 2050, according to a new study, but major steps will need to be taken to reduce future demand and protect the county’s groundwater supplies. Arapahoe County Commissioner Jeff Baker, in a statement, said the study is a cautionary tale, showing that while existing supplies generate 141,000 acre-feet of water each year, future growth could strain those supplies.

Aug 1, 2024 | watereducationcolorado.org | Shannon Mullane |South Platte

As crews aggressively fight four Front Range wildfires, Colorado water officials say water delivery has not been interrupted even as they keep a close eye on nearby infrastructure that could be impacted. The Alexander Mountain fire, the Stone Canyon fire, the Quarry fire and the Lake Shore fire led to one fatality, forced thousands of people from their homes, and burned structures as of Wednesday, even as dry and sweltering conditions are forecast to continue on the Front Range.

Jul 3, 2024 | watereducationcolorado.org | Tracy Ross |Instream Flow |South Platte

SOUTH ST. VRAIN CREEK — Sometime this summer, certain parts of South St. Vrain Creek may, for the first time in over a century, have water flowing through them intermittently, thanks to technology most Coloradans take for granted but until recently has been out of reach for area water managers.

May 2, 2024 | watereducationcolorado.org | Jerd Smith |Arkansas River |South Platte

Fast-growing Aurora plans to develop a new 200-acre site high in scenic Park County to build the largest reservoir in its system. The $600 million-plus Wild Horse Reservoir project would store 93,000 acre-feet of water and be nearly twice the size of the city’s existing Park County storage pond, Spinney Mountain Reservoir, which holds 53,651 acre-feet of water. An acre-foot equals nearly 326,000 gallons of water, enough to serve at least two to four urban households for one year.

Feb 21, 2024 | watereducationcolorado.org | Jerd Smith |South Platte

LONGMONT: It is 10:16 a.m. on Valentine’s Day. More than 100 people are gathered in a sprawling room at the Boulder County Fairgrounds. Pencils, notebooks, calculators, auction catalogs and heart-shaped chocolates lie on tables as buyers begin bidding for some of the most sought-after and pricey water in Colorado.