Services / Water Resources Planning and Management
Water Conservation Planning in Colorado
Colorado is one of the fastest growing states in the country. According to the State demographer, Colorado's population is expected to grow to 7.8 million by 2035, a 65% increase from the 2005 population estimate of 4.7 million. To meet current and future demands, water providers are looking to water conservation as a key ingredient in their strategic planning mix. The State is also taking an active role in encouraging water conservation.
Legislative Background
The Colorado Water Conservation Act of 1991 (House Bill 91-1154) requires that all water providers with annual demands of 2,000 acre-feet or more have an approved Water Conservation Plan on file with the State. A bill passed in 2004 (HB 04-1365) amends the earlier bill and requires that providers submit new or revised plans to the State. In addition, providers must have an approved plan on file prior to receiving loans from the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) or the Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority.
Why Choose Hydrosphere?
Since 1983, Hydrosphere has provided a broad range of water conservation expertise to municipal, industrial and agricultural water providers. We are familiar with the CWCB’s 2005 Water Conservation Plan Development Guidance (the State's preferred approach to the development of water conservation plans) and we have prepared plans that met or exceeded the State's requirements.
- Our water conservation planning services include:
- Characterization of water uses, demand patterns and “baseline” demands
- Water demand forecasting
- Water loss analysis
- Evaluation of water supply sources and facilities
- Cost/benefit analysis of conservation programs
- Implementation strategies designed to mitigate economic impacts
- Development of demand reduction programs such as:
- Inclining block rate structures
- Leak identification and repair
- Educational programs
- Water efficient landscaping and irrigation
- Voluntary and mandatory water use restriction
- Proven and cost effective measures such as fixture retrofit rebates
- Some of our recent water conservation projects in Colorado include:
- City of Northglenn
Water Conservation Plan - Eagle River Water & Sanitation District
Water Conservation Master Plan, Retrofit Study, and Drought Response - City of Boulder
Water Conservation Futures Study and Water Conservation Monitoring - Vail Associates, Inc.
Snowmaking System Water Conservation Program
State Grant Programs
Recognizing that a lack of staff, limited financial resources and/or insufficient expertise may present obstacles for some providers to develop new or updated plans, HB 04-1365 makes funds available to offset internal costs or to secure outside assistance from consultants for water conservation plan development. For more information about Colorado water conservation planning, funding opportunities, and the grant application process see http://cwcb.state.co.us/Conservation or talk to Hydrosphere’s staff. Additional information may be found in a water conservation and drought planning update co-authored by Hydrosphere's Laura Belanger (with Veva McCaig of the CWCB), recently published in the January, 2007 issue of the AWRA Colorado newsletter.