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Stretching our Water Supplies South Metro Denver Area. Gunnison Water Conference July 28, 2004. South Metro Denver Area. How do we Stretch Water Supplies?. Demand Management Reuse Resource Management Conjunctive Use. What is meant by “Conjunctive Use”?.
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Stretching our Water SuppliesSouth Metro Denver Area Gunnison Water Conference July 28, 2004
How do we Stretch Water Supplies? • Demand Management • Reuse • Resource Management • Conjunctive Use
What is meant by “Conjunctive Use”? • Conjunctive Use is the combined use of different sources or types of water supplies to maximize use or efficiency. • Conjunctive Use in the South Metro area is the combination of deep non-tributary ground water with surface water sources to maximize the yield of surface water.
Why is “Stretching the Resource” so important for the South Metro area? • Ground Water is not a renewable water supply • Artesian Head in the Aquifers is rapidly depleting • Production levels are dropping • Water cannot be produced at rates sufficient to support urban development
Ground Water Pumping – Existing Conditions regionalhead 600 ft 300 ft
Ground Water Pumping – Future Projections regionalhead 50 ft 300 ft
Stretching through Conservation • Management through Awareness • Management through Pricing • Reductions through Landscape Changes • Typical Reductions of 20%
Stretching through Reuse • Augmentation (easy reuse) • Non-potable irrigation (successful in commercial/public areas) • Indirect potable reuse (ACWWA/Cottonwood invest in 12 MGD plant) • Reuse can double supply
Stretching through Resource Management • Pooling of Resources • Pooling of Facilities • Cooperation in Use of Water Rights • Upper Cherry Creek Water Association increases yield by about 30%
Stretching through Conjunctive Use • Surface Supplies vary from Year to Year • Water Supply must be available every year • Either • Only develop dry yield water Or • Develop wet year yield by supplementing from other sources
Water Supply Sources • Denver Basin Ground Water • Surface Supplies (So. Platte, Plum Creek, Cherry Creek, Denver Contract) • Augmentation • Reuse
Current Operation Drought Average Wet Denver CSA South Metro Aquifer
Conjunctive Use Operation Drought Average Wet Denver CSA South Metro South Metro Aquifer
The Importance of Conjunctive Use • Conserves the Ground Water • Allows for Ground Water Replenishment • Makes use of wet year water without major storage • Makes effective use of the Ground Water
The Formula for Water Supply in the South Metro Area: • Conservation Every Year • Major Reuse (non-potable and indirect potable) • Full Use of Local Surface Water Supplies • Sustainable Use of Ground Water • Resource Management • Conjunctive Use