Denver Water Moffat Collection System Environmental Impact Statement

AWRA Colorado June 26, 2007 Lunch Presentation
Speaker: Travis Bray, Denver Water
Presentation Summarized by Jessica Lowrey, NOAA

The Moffat Collection System Project has three purposes: 1) increase supply, 2) increase reliability, and 3) decrease the vulnerability of Denver Water’s water supply system.

Figure 1. Gross Reservoir 1951 Construction

Supply: The projected demand shortfall to Denver Water’s system is 34,000 acre-feet per year by 2030. To address this shortfall, Denver Water plans to increase supply and conservation by 18,000 and 16,000 acre-feet, respectively.

Reliability: In a single dry year, Denver Water is at risk of running out of water on the northern end of their system (Moffat System).

Figure 2. Gross Reservoir Spillway

Vulnerability: Denver Water’s supply system is currently vulnerable to natural disasters, outages, and other unplanned interruptions because 80% of their water is delivered through Strontia Springs Reservoir. 20% of Denver Water’s supply comes through the Moffat System. If something were to happen to Strontia Springs during a drought, the water service to 1.2 million people could be jeopardized.

There is little information available for public review at this time as the Draft EIS has not been completed. Once completed, it will contain a description of the alternatives reviewed for the Moffat Collection System Project, environmental impacts, a mitigation plan, and other information required for an EIS. The Draft EIS is scheduled to be released in the spring of 2008. At that time, the Corps will accept comments from interested parties.