As part of a comprehensive effort to bolster local water resources in support of the rapidly growing Front Range region, the Cherry Creek Project Water Authority (CCPWA) recently broke ground on the $11.8 million Walker Reservoir project in Franktown, CO. The project, led by global design firm Stantec’s Fort Collins, CO, office will transform an abandoned gravel pit into an expanded and functional reservoir to deliver a sustainable water future for Front Range residents.
The project will include excavation and regrading of the current site and design and installation of a slurry cut-off wall around the perimeter to deliver supplemental supplies of raw water. Once completed, Walker Reservoir will have the potential to store up to 1,000 acre-feet of water. The project will include measures to protect the reservoir from flood flows from Cherry Creek and Mitchell Gulch, and an inlet structure will allow water from nearby wells to be safely added to the reservoir. A lift station will allow water to be removed from Walker Reservoir and discharged to Cherry Creek. The project design will seal the existing lake area from surrounding ground water sources to create below-grade water storage.
The project completed Section 7 consultation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) under the Clean Water Act Section 404 permit. Habitat enhancement measures combined with the avoidance and minimization of impacts will promote species diversity and vegetation establishment for federally listed species and designated critical habitat, while supporting local wildlife conservation efforts.
Stantec’s Project Manager, Pamela Massaro said: “As the Front Range region continues to grow, it’s critical to supply communities with a reliable and sustainable water source. It’s incredibly exciting to see this transformational project begin construction and we’re humbled to play a role in its delivery.”
CCPWA was established in 2005 as an organisation of water providers in the Cherry Creek basin upstream of Cherry Creek Reservoir to acquire and share water rights and water supplies. The CCPWA members working as partners on this project include the Castle Rock Water, the Cottonwood Water and Sanitation District, the Inverness Water and Sanitation District, and the Pinery Water and Wastewater District.
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