Chatfield Reservoir Reallocation Study

Potential Benefits of Reallocation:

• Reallocation would make use of an existing facility to create storage for water supplies, making construction of a new facility unnecessary.
  

• Because some water users already receive water from Chatfield, there will be less need for the construction of new delivery systems.  New water yields would result from the storage of water. 
  

• The reservoir is located directly on the South Platte River, or “on-channel”, meaning that the cost of constructing a diversion and delivery system to another storage facility would not be necessary, and all available flows can be stored instantaneously.  

• Chatfield is located at a relatively high elevation within the watershed, providing the opportunity to deliver water to some of the water users by gravity flow which is more cost and energy efficient than having to pump water for delivery.

• Strategic releases of water from Chatfield could provide recreational and environmental benefits to the urban and downstream reaches of the South Platte River while providing water during low flow periods.

• Those water users upstream of Chatfield could capture their reusable return flows in the reservoir for subsequent reuse making greater use of the scarce resource.

• Water users could store additional water supplies for the agricultural community in the South Platte Basin, where thousands of acres of previously irrigated land has not been farmed in recent years due to widespread irrigation well curtailments.

• Reallocation would not require any physical improvements or modifications to the dam, spillway, outlet works or other related structures.
  

• The proposed reallocation of storage space in Chatfield Reservoir would increase the high water level up to 12 feet higher when water is stored during non-flood conditions.

• Water level fluctuations could increase both in magnitude and frequency.  The operation of the reservoir and resulting water levels are based on a number of factors, including the water elevation at the time, flow conditions downstream, the priority of water rights of downstream users, requests for release of stored water, precipitation and evaporation.

• Recreation facilities around the reservoir would be impacted/inundated by higher water levels, requiring a change in the operations of the reservoir and the construction and/or relocation of infrastructure, such as roads and facilities, in Chatfield State Park.

• Recreational activities and facilities at Chatfield State Park may be impacted temporarily or put on hold for public safety during construction and/or relocation of infrastructure.

• Environmental factors, such as water quality, fish and wildlife habitat and wetlands, may be impacted, requiring mitigation (both on-site and off-site as necessary).