South Platte Gravel Pit Storage System Thornton, Colorado
The City of Thornton identified a need for approximately 30,000 acre-feet of
South Platte River storage to implement its Northern Project. Prior to Thornton's
Northern Project coming online, the City developed a plan for use of South Platte
River storage.
The City of Thornton identified the need for 30,000 acre-feet of South Platte
River storage between Thornton and Greeley, Colorado. Deere & Ault's
staff assisted the City of Thornton in identifying gravel pit storage sites,
conducting feasibility studies of the pits, filing water rights applications,
and providing litigation support in Water Court.
The plan includes storage of the reusable portion of water generated by potable
water use within the City, storage of consumptive use water owned or controlled
by the City that cannot be immediately used within the City, and storage of a new
water right. The water stored in the South Platte gravel pits would either be
exchanged upstream to Thornton facilities and used at the water treatment plants
or pumped directly to the water treatment plants.
Deere & Ault's staff assisted in field surveys, posted signs at the
new points of diversion and storage, and assisted in preparation of the Water
Court application in Case No. 91CW126. Our firm provided litigation support
for the application, including expert witness testimony.
Deere & Ault assisted in the development of a plan for exchange of the
water stored in the South Platte gravel pits to raw water storage facilities near
the City's water treatment plants. Our staff aided the City in their South Platte
River exchange application filed in Case No. 96CW1116, and in negotiating a settlement
with objectors in this case. A decree has been obtained by Thornton in this case.
Deere & Ault's staff also researched the Division of Minerals and Geology
(previously known as the Mined Land Reclamation Board) records and conducted field
investigations to identify suitable gravel pit storage sites. Based on this information,
volumes at 12 gravel pit storage sites were estimated. A computer model was developed
and operated to estimate the volume of water that could be stored in each of these
reservoirs under a 1991 water right appropriation.
