Gross Reservoir Expansion Project
Project specific plans
Denver Water has worked with stakeholders to develop, review and finalize various project related plan. Links to those final approved plans can be found here (due to file size they are shared through an external site). As additional plans receive final approval, they will be added to the list below and provided at the link above.
Federal Preemption Lawsuit
On July 14, 2021, Denver Water filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against Boulder County, asserting the county is overreaching its authority and jeopardizing a federally ordered reservoir expansion critical to a safe and secure water supply for one quarter of the state’s population while risking long-planned benefits for the West Slope environment.
- Complaint – July 14, 2021
- DiMascio Declaration
- Exhibit A: FERC Order
- Exhibit B: Boulder County Comments 2008
- Exhibit C: Boulder County Comments 2010
- Exhibit D: Boulder County Motion to Intervene
- Exhibit E: Boulder County Comments Dec 2020
- Exhibit F.1: DW Cover Letter Feb 2021
- Exhibit F.2: DW Response to Comments Table Feb 2021
- Exhibit F.3: DW BC Traffic Meeting Notes Jan 2021
- Exhibit F.4: DW BC Facilities Meeting Notes Feb 2021
- Exhibit F.5: DW BC Open Space Meeting Notes Feb 2021
- Exhibit F.6: DW BC Floodplain Meeting Notes Feb 2021
- Exhibit F.7: DW BC Tree Removal Meeting Notes Feb 2021
- Exhibit F.8: Construction and FERC Plan Schedules Feb 2021
- Exhibit G: Boulder County Comments April 2021
- Exhibit H: DW Response Cover Letter April 2021
- Exhibit I: Boulder County Comments June 2021
- Exhibit J: DW Response Cover Letter June 2021
- Exhibit K: Dale Case Decision Letter June 2021
Federal NEPA Lawsuit
In late 2018, groups opposing the Gross Reservoir Expansion Project filed suit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in opposition to the 404 Permit and Record of Decision that Denver Water received in July 2017. Denver Water intervened as a respondent and is defending the permit alongside the federal respondents. Below are the primary court filings in order of submittal.
- Petition for Review of Agency Action – Dec. 19, 2018
- Denver Water’s Unopposed MOTION to Intervene and to Extend Time to Answer Petition – Feb. 7, 2019
- DECLARATION of James Lochhead – Feb. 7, 2019
- ORDER granting Denver water motion to intervene – Feb. 8, 2019
- Supplemental Petition for Review of Agency Action – Aug. 13, 2020
- Denver Water’s Memo in Support of Motion To Dismiss – Aug. 17, 2020
- Federal Defendants Memo in Support of Motion To Dismiss – Aug. 17, 2020
- Petitioners’ Response to Motion To Dismiss – Sept. 25, 2020
- Denver Water’s Reply in Support of Motion To Dismiss – Oct. 23, 2020
- Federal Defendants Reply on Motion To Dismiss – Oct. 23, 2020
- Petitioners’ Motion for Surreply – Oct. 30, 2020
- Denver Water’s Opposition to Surreply – Nov. 4, 2020
- Order Denying Surreply Redacted – Nov. 9, 2020
- Dismissal Order – March 31, 2021
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Order
In July 2020 the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued an order to proceed with design and construction to expand Gross Reservoir in Boulder County. The order can be found below.
Final Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Hydropower License Amendment Application
Feb 2019: FERC published the Final Supplemental Environmental Assessment, including the Finding of No Significant Impact.
Feb 2018: FERC published notice of availability of a Supplemental Environmental Assessment. Public comment will be accepted until April 9, 2018; instructions may be found here.
May 2017: We responded to public comments received by FERC during their 60-day comment period. Those responses can be found here.
April 2017: We provided FERC with details about our consultation with the U.S. Forest Service regarding changes to our Recreational Management Plan.
March 2017: We responded to FERC’s February 2017 request for more information with this letter.
February 2017: FERC notified Denver Water that the public comment period has started on our application to amend our hydropower license. They also wrote us a letter requesting more information.
November 2016: Denver Water filed our final license amendment application with the FERC. Multiple Documents and Volumes available here:
U.S. Forest Service Agreement
- Settlement Agreement – the overall master agreement describing the negotiations and resolution of issues.
- Appendix 1 – 4(e) Conditions related to operation and maintenance of the Gross Expansion Project – these conditions will be part of the amended Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license.
- Appendix 2 – Off-license Agreement – commitments by Denver Water and USFS related to Denver Water’s past, existing and future operations on USFS lands.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 404 Permit and Record of Decision
In July 2017 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved the Gross Reservoir Expansion Project by granting Denver Water its’ 404 permit and Record of Decision. The 404 permit and Record of Decision can be found below.
Clean Water Act, Section 401 Water Quality Certification
June 2016: The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment issued the Section 401 Water Quality Certification for the Gross Reservoir Expansion Project that certifies – with the approved mitigation and enhancement measures – the project will create a “Net Environmental Benefit” on both the West and East slopes. This certification includes the following documents:
Endangered Species Act, Section 7 Consultation
December 2013: U.S. Fish and Wildlife issued its Biological Opinion on impacts of depletions of Denver Water’s entire system (not just the Gross Reservoir Expansion Project).
National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106 Consultation
2015 Availability Sessions
Handouts:
Posters:
Presentation:
2008 Public Meetings
Construction Traffic Documents
Documents:
- Noise Vibration Analysis
- Map – Gross Reservoir Sound Vibration Monitors
- Map – Proposed Gross Reservoir Haul Route
During construction, the volume of construction traffic will vary day-to-day and month-to-month, depending on the type and number of construction activities taking place.
There may be delays caused by slow-moving construction vehicles on Gross Dam Road and Colorado 72. Other roads, such as Colorado 93, Colorado 128, U.S. 287, Arapahoe Road (U.S. 287 bypass to County Line Road) and County Line Road may be affected depending on the location of the construction materials needed to be transported to the site.
Denver Water is looking into alternatives for reducing construction traffic delays, including constructing and/or improving turnouts on Colorado 72 for slow-moving traffic.
To assure we fully understand the potential impacts, on Aug. 8, 2013, Denver Water conducted a test by using loaded trucks to gauge noise and safety issues using third-party experts who have conducted many similar studies. Learn more by viewing the videos at the following links:
Introduction
Study Overview
Passing Slow-Moving Vehicles
Intersection of Highway 72 and Gross Dam Road
Truck Noise
Dust
Conclusion
Draft FERC Hydropower License Amendment Application
- Denver Water operates a hydroelectric power plant at Gross Reservoir under a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) hydropower license. To expand the reservoir, Denver Water needs to amend its existing hydropower license. Denver Water is required to provide information on the proposed changes at Gross Reservoir to stakeholders (e.g., relocation of recreation facilities, changes in hydropower generation, etc.), before submitting a final application to the FERC.
Please note that the draft application is a large document and it may take a long time to download.
Draft FERC Hydropower License Amendment Application (29.34 MB)
Copies of the draft FERC hydropower license amendment application are also available for public review at:
-
- Denver Water Administrative Building, 1600 West 12th Ave., Denver, 80204
- Local libraries:
- Grand County:
- Fraser Valley Library, 421 Norgren Road, Fraser, Colo. 80442
- Granby Library, 55 Zero St., Granby, Colo. 80446
- Kremmling Library, 300 S. 8th St., Kremmling, Colo. 80459-1240
- Denver County:
- Central Library, 10 W. Fourteenth Ave. Parkway, Denver, 80204
- Boulder County:
- Main Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, Colo. 80302
- Jefferson County:
- Arvada Library, 7525 W. 57th Ave., Arvada, Colo., 80002
- Golden Library, 1019 10th St. Golden, Colo., 80401
- Summit County:
- Summit County Library South Branch, 504 Airport Road, Breckenridge, Colo., 80424
- Summit County Library North Branch, 651 Center Circle, Silverthorne, Colo., 80498
- Grand County:
- Denver Water will provide an electronic copy on CD of the draft FERC hydropower license amendment application, if requested.
Environmental Impact Statement
Click here to visit the Moffat EIS Page on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Website.
FERC Amendment - Initial Consultation Document
Letters to Gross Reservoir Neighbors
Letters to Stakeholders
Former Gov. Endorses Gross Reservoir Expansion Project
Latest News / Blog
Survey activity on Gross Dam Road
Over the next two weeks, Denver Water’s contractors, Metcalf Archeological Consultants, will be conducting cultural resource surveys along Gross Dam Road. Surveys are scheduled to start the week of April 25. Residents can expect to see crews walking along the...
Dam foundation preparation, quarrying and site preparation activities at Gross Reservoir
Dam foundation preparation, quarrying and site preparation activities involving drilling and blasting are scheduled to begin at Gross Reservoir today, April 12. Please note: Blasting will only take place during daylight hours. Drilling and blasting activities are...
Heavy equipment to travel to Gross Reservoir Expansion Project site
March 28, 2022 - Between March 28 and April 2, weather permitting, Kiewit Barnard Joint Venture will mobilize large equipment to the Gross Reservoir Expansion Project site. This activity will consist of a maximum of four caravans over the course of two nights. Each...
First steps on Gross Reservoir expansion
Feb. 27, 2022 - TAP - After 20 years of preparation, first signs of construction work emerging in vicinity of dam. After nearly two decades of planning and permitting, Denver Water’s work to expand Gross Reservoir northwest of Denver is set to kick off. Over the...
Learning By Doing 2022 Annual Report
Grand County Learning By Doing Cooperative Effort (LBD) has a goal to maintain, and where reasonably possible, restore or enhance the aquatic environment in the Fraser, Williams Fork, and Colorado River basins and their tributaries in Grand County, Colorado. See a...
Gross expansion is a go after federal, state and local reviews finalized
TAP - November 8, 2021 - Project to raise dam will improve water reliability for more than 1.5 million people while benefiting the environment. After nearly 20 years of preparations, the expansion of Gross Reservoir in Boulder County is moving ahead. Last week, Denver...