Thornton/Westminster/Coors Agreement Litigation City of Thornton, Colorado
The City of Thornton, as an owner of water rights in Standley Lake, was concerned
about the water quality impacts due to delivery of Coors and Golden sewage effluent
upstream of the Standley Lake inlet in the winter. Deere & Ault staff examined
several alternatives to mitigate the water quality problems. The investigations
focused on a plan that prevents the Coors and Golden sewage effluent from lowering
the excellent water quality found in Standley Lake.
Deere & Ault staff conducted an investigation of an exchange plan that resolved
water quality disputes between the City of Thornton, City of Westminster, City of Golden,
and the Adolf Coors Company involving Clear Creek water. A Clear Creek model was
developed to include the components of the exchange plan. Water rights litigation support
was provided to facilitate the agreement between the parties.
Deere & Ault staff worked with engineers from the City of Westminster, City of
Thornton, and Coors to develop the exchange plan that was acceptable to all parties.
Once the exchange plan was conceptually agreed upon, a computer model was developed
to simulate the exchange plan. An existing Clear Creek basin water rights model was
modified to include Thornton's raw water operations and other operations necessary to
simulate the exchange plan. The model was tested, calibrated, and verified before it
was applied to various exchange plan scenarios.
Deere & Ault staff provided general consulting to Thornton in regard to the agreement
and water rights assistance to the subsequent water rights filings made in support of the
agreement that was litigated in Case No. 88CW268.
