State of Colorado certification moves Gross Reservoir Expansion Project closer to reality, and cooperation is the key. The public information yurt, which is open seasonally and staffed between five and seven days a week, is intended to provide a welcoming space where members of the local community and recreationists can stop and learn more about the project, express concerns and share experiences. This first phase will also include establishing the construction site, project offices and readying the existing dam and abutments. On July 17, 2020, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved Denver Water proceeding with the design and construction of expanding Gross Reservoir in Boulder County. We’re hopeful that this dedicated, more regular presence in the community will enable us to open lines of communication and increase understanding from all perspectives. That will be followed by dam construction, which we expect will take approximately three years, during which most of the work will occur during spring, summer and fall months. Denver Water is planning a major expansion of the reservoir that will increase height of the Gross Reservoir Dam by 131 feet and water storage by 77,000 acre-feet. Create an environmental pool in Gross Reservoir that will be managed by the Cities of Boulder and Lafayette to provide flows into South Boulder Creek during periods of low or no flows. Complete a stream restoration project on South Boulder Creek. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ordered Denver Water to proceed with design and construction to expand Gross Reservoir in Boulder County, which involves raising the dam an additional 131 feet. Construct and maintain sediment pond on Berthoud Pass to keep the Fraser River bottom clean. Denver Water 2,865 views. Check out, “Good for drivers, bad for the Fraser River.”, Restore a portion of Fraser Flats in Grand County. By Beverly Kurtz, Jennie Curtis, Tim Guenthner, Seth Cousin and Josh King. Through a cooperative process, replace culverts on Fraser River, Cabin Creek and St. Louis Creek with aquatic organism passage culverts that will enable free passage of fish and other aquatic organisms. The Gross Reservoir Expansion Project is a major component of Denver Water’s long-term, multi-pronged approach (including promoting water efficiency, recycling water and responsibly sourcing new storage) to ensure we are able to deliver safe, reliable water to the more than 1.5 million residents in our service area today and to many of the projected 8.1 million who will call Colorado home by 2050. The additional water storage will help prevent future shortfalls during droughts and helps offset an imbalance in our North-South collection system. What is the Gross Reservoir Expansion Project? Aging outlet works at base of Denver Water dam call for major upgrade to valves, pipes. (Chris Schneider, Special to The Colorado Sun) Denver Water attained final federal approval for their Gross Reservoir Expansion Project in mid-July. Begin stream bank monitoring on the North Fork of the South Platte River and South Boulder Creek to identify erosion and/or unstable banks, and make repairs, as needed. LEARN MORE ABOUT TEG Out of concern for the safety of our employees and community, Denver Water has suspended in-person office hours and events indefinitely. The project improves water dependability for many along Colorado’s Front Range by protecting against potential natural and human-caused disasters. Protect raptor species, fight invasive species, relocate rare plant species and responsibly remove trees and brush in the reservoir’s expanded footprint. Denver Water is proposing to expand Gross Reservoir in Boulder County by raising the height of the existing dam. Create an environmental pool in Gross Reservoir that will be managed by the Cities of Boulder and Lafayette to provide flows into South Boulder Creek during periods of low or no flows. Convey approximately 540 acres of land near the Moffat Tunnel to the U.S. Forest Service for permanent protection and management as part of the National Forest System. Final federal approval secured for Gross Reservoir Expansion Project On July 17, 2020, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ordered Denver Water to proceed … Check out, “Keep it cool: Good for the Fraser River and its trout.”, Release water into Ranch Creek in response to high temperatures found through water temperature monitoring. “The project will only take... Nov. 30, 2020 - Beginning the week of Nov. 30, Denver Water will be performing a safety project at the Osprey Point boat ramp at Gross Reservoir. The Gross Reservoir Expansion Project is in the process of growing our contractor team. John Scarffe, Boulder County. Provide flushing flows in the Williams Fork and Fraser River basins. Provide $1 million to the Upper Colorado River Wild and Scenic Management group to fund flow-related projects to protect the outstanding and remarkable values within segments of the Upper Colorado River. Expanding Gross Reservoir will help protect Denver Water customers from future drought and projected shortfalls in the overall water storage system. The legal fight over expansion of Gross Reservoir in southwestern Boulder County kicked up another notch Friday as Denver Water filed an appeal over a … Jeff Martin, Denver Water’s program manager on the Gross Reservoir Expansion Project sits for an interview about the project goals, core values and minimizing inconvenience to our neighbors. The Gross Reservoir Expansion Project is a major component of Denver Water’s long-term, multi-pronged approach (including promoting water efficiency, recycling water and responsibly sourcing new storage) to ensure we are able to deliver safe, reliable water to the more than 1.5 million residents in our service area today and to many of the projected 8.1 million who will call Colorado home by 2050. Law Week Colorado - Nov. 24, 2020 - "... the agreement obligates Denver Water to reduce diversions during drought years. Allow Grand County to store up to 2,500 acre-feet of water in Williams Fork Reservoir for environmental purposes. Denver Water began the permitting process for the Gross Reservoir Expansion Project in 2003 with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. We do offer online one-on-one appointments with our project representatives who can answer your questions about the Gross Reservoir Expansion Project. The $464 million (in 2025 dollars) expansion involves raising Gross Dam by 131 feet to nearly triple the size of the reservoir behind it. If your company is interested in joining the team, please complete the form below. Provide $6 million to Grand County to use towards environmental projects, and continue to participate in the “. Denver Water CEO/Manager Jim Lochhead honored thanked the Gross Reservoir Expansion team with a Becoming the Best Award in 2018. Gross Dam was originally designed as a phased project; the first phase was completed in the 1950s and is the dam we currently use to supply water to the North end of the system. “The project will only take... Nov. 30, 2020 - Beginning the week of Nov. 30, Denver Water will be performing a safety project at the Osprey Point boat ramp at Gross Reservoir. “The project itself was shaped and designed to avoid damaging or affecting flows in the driest of years,” he said. The Gross Reservoir Expansion Project will raise the height of the existing dam, completed in 1954, by 131 feet, allowing the reservoir to nearly triple in size. TAP - Nov. 20, 2020 - "The data from the fish surveys are shared with Learning By Doing, a unique partnership between East and West Slope organizations in Colorado that focuses on maintaining the aquatic environment in Grand County and improving conditions when... October 16, 2020 - TAP - "At Gross Reservoir, one of the most important reservoirs in Denver Water’s system, it’s time to replace the outlet works, a seven-month job so big it will require sawing up massive slabs of concrete and removing fat steel pipes so big a short... Boating recreation is closed at Gross reservoir. This project will remove unstable rock at the boat ramp to ensure a safe environment for the public and Denver Water... What is the Gross Reservoir Expansion Project? Starting in fall 2017, we opened a community welcome and information center at Gross Reservoir. This was a public hearing for the Board of County Commissioners to determine whether the Boulder County Land Use Director erred in his decision that the proposed Gross Reservoir Expansion Project is subject to local government review. Denver Water is working with communities we are likely to impact during all phases of the project. Monitor stream temperatures and water quality in Gross Reservoir, South Boulder Creek and the Fraser River Basin. The expansion of the reservoir will raise the facility’s dam 131 feet and will increase the capacity of the reservoir by 77,000 acre-feet. The Gross Reservoir Expansion Project is a major component of Denver Water’s long-term, multi-pronged approach to deliver safe, reliable water to the more than 1.5 million residents in our service area today and many of the projected millions who will call Colorado home in the decades to come. The higher dam will expand the capacity of the reservoir in Boulder County by 77,000 acre-feet. With this project, we will provide water to current and future customers while providing environmental benefits to Colorado’s rivers and streams. In addition to leading the fight to stop the proposed Gross Reservoir Expansion, members of TEG have formed multiple organizations over the past 20 years to support fire and flood mitigation and to help residents in need. Gross Reservoir Expansion Update. “This project will increase Gross Reservoir’s capacity to 119,000 total acre feet by adding an additional 77,000 acre feet, and 72,000 acre feet will be for Denver Water use, while 5,000 acre feet will go to the environmental pool that provides additional water for South Boulder Creek during low flow periods and provides enhanced stream flow to a 17 mile stretch of South Boulder Creek located below the … In 2017, after 14 years of environmental study and analysis, Denver Water received the 404 Permit and Record of Decision from the Corps. As our demand grew, Denver Water planned to raise the dam to provide water in a just in time approach. This short video summarizes Denver Water’s community commitments based on years of study and robust outreach to Gross Reservoir neighbors. Provide more than 1,000 acre-feet of water in Grand County for environmental purposes. Complete a stream restoration project on the Williams Fork River. Colorado History - Gross Reservoir - DJI Inspire 2 X5S - Duration: 4:07. With demand projected to increase, expanding Gross Reservoir is one facet of Denver Water’s comprehensive strategy – including promoting water efficiency, recycled water and responsible sourcing new supply – to meet future customers’ needs. When complete, the reservoir will be capable of holding about 119,000 acre-feet of water to provide greater system balance and resiliency. These groups include Saws and Slaws, the Coal Creek Canyon Watershed Partnership, and Canyon Cares. We invite you to search for an available time and book an online meeting here. Information on the proposed project (also known as the “Moffat Collection System Project”) can be found on Denver Water’s website at www.GrossReservoir.org. Hiking and fishing access remains open, please ensure you are following local COVID-19 guidelines. The expansion project at Gross Reservoir will raise the dam 131 feet to a final height of 471 feet. Denver Water — which provides water to around a quarter of Colorado’s population — received final approval Friday from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to move forward with the expansion of Gross Reservoir in Boulder County.. Completed in 1954, the reservoir has a surface area of 440 acres, and the spillway sits at 7,225 feet elevation. Gross Reservoir Expansion Project update - Duration: 2:32. Allow Grand County to store up to 2,500 acre-feet of water in Williams Fork Reservoir for environmental purposes. Expanding Gross Reservoir would require more than 25 million cubic feet of concrete, the removal of an estimated 234,000 trees and about 7,200 truck deliveries of cement and fly … 2:32. In addition to the environmental commitments we’ve made to communities surrounding the project, agreements are in place that tie this project directly to protecting South Boulder Creek and the Fraser, Williams Fork, Blue and Colorado rivers. Provide $2 million towards aquatic habitat improvements on the Upper Colorado River. Good for drivers, bad for the Fraser River, Keep it cool: Good for the Fraser River and its trout, Searching for solutions to help trout keep their cool, Gross Reservoir Expansion Proposal Presents Water Demand, Environmental Concerns. The project relies on the expansion of an existing footprint — without the placement of a new dam, reservoir or diversion structure; it also benefits from an original design that anticipated eventual expansion. providing environmental benefits to Colorado’s rivers and streams, adjust our practices to minimize inconvenience to the local community, Gross Reservoir Expansion Proposal Presents Water Demand, Environmental Concerns. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Upper Colorado River Recovery Program and the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program, both designed to protect endangered species. A plan to expand Gross Reservoir in Boulder County cleared its final federal hurdle on July 16, 2020, when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission gave its approval for the project and ordered Denver Water to proceed with design and construction.. Gross Reservoir Dam outside Boulder, on Monday, July 1, 2019. Also, read more on our Community Responsiveness page and on DenverWaterTAP.org ! We continue to listen to concerns and have made significant commitments to adjust our practices to minimize inconvenience to the local community. Once permits are secured, we expect the construction to take place in three phases over a total of four to five years: First we will mobilize equipment and develop aggregate materials (sand and gravel) at an on-site quarry. Denver Water attained final federal approval for their Gross Reservoir Expansion Project in mid-July. It does admit that the Gross Reservoir expansion project will inundate portions of Winiger Gulch Potential Conservation Area and more than 240 acres of Winiger Ridge Environmental Conservation Area, destroy 3.9 acres of plant communities considered to be of “local concern,” and cause a variety of short term air quality, water quality, and noise impacts and possible invasion of non-native aquatic species. This project goes beyond securing our customer’s water future; it helps secure the future of the natural environment for all Coloradans. Construct a fish ladder on Cabin Creek in Grand County. Continue to participate in the U.S. Gross Reservoir, located in Boulder County, Colorado, is owned and operated by Denver Water. Although a postcard sent to property owners near Gross Reservoir said public comment about the proposed expansion project should be in by Oct. … Law Week Colorado - Nov. 24, 2020 - "... the agreement obligates Denver Water to reduce diversions during drought years. “Expanding Gross Reservoir is a critical project to ensure a secure water supply for nearly a quarter of the state’s population. If you have questions, please contact us. We write in response to the letter to the editor published Nov. 17 regarding the proposed expansion of Gross Reservoir. The information gathered here will be provided to the qualified CMGC contractors in early 2019. This raise will be constructed with a construction method known as a downstream buttress, which will use the existing dam as formwork. Posted on September 15, 2020. The reservoir receives water from the western side of the Continental Divide through the Moffat Tunnel. Provide funding towards Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s cutthroat trout habitat projects to protect and restore native trout populations. Check out, “Searching for solutions to help trout keep their cool.”. Concrete will be made at an on-site concrete batch plant and then conveyed to … The Gross Reservoir Expansion Project is one of the major elements of Denver Water’s long-term supply plan. About 45 people spoke to the commission following presentations by Denver Water and Boulder Planning Staff Dale Case. Nov. 30, 2020 - Beginning the week of Nov. 30, Denver Water will be performing a safety project at the Osprey Point boat ramp at Gross Reservoir. Once the dam is complete, the final phase will begin, which involves removal of trees and brush from the new inundation footprint. Officials say the design phase of the Gross Reservoir Expansion Project is expected to wrap up by mid-2021 and will be followed by four years of construction. The expansion project will raise the height of the existing Gross Reservoir dam, completed in 1954, by 131 feet, allowing the reservoir to nearly triple in size. Denver Water has proposed a planned expansion of the Gross Reservoir Dam (map locator) in southwest Boulder County. We are sensitive to the concerns of stakeholders and are committed to being a good neighbor. The FERC regulates the production of hydropower in the United States, and expanding Gross Reservoir required FERC’s approval of Denver Water’s application to amend its… “The project itself was shaped and designed to avoid damaging or affecting flows in the driest of years,” he said. In short, because of this project, they are better protected now than they were yesterday. The project will raise the height of the existing dam by 131 feet, which will increase the capacity of the reservoir by 77,000 acre-feet. 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