Gross Reservoir Expansion Project
Environmental Review Process
As a federally permitted project, the purpose, need and environmental impacts of the project have been vetted through almost a decade of research. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released the Final Environmental Impact Statement in 2014 that details project mitigation measures and addresses public comment received after publication of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Like many water supply projects, there are a number of permits at the federal, state and local level that are needed before construction can begin:
401 Certification
- Also a component of the Clean Water Act of 1972, 401 Certification is a process handled at the state level. In the case of the Gross Reservoir Expansion Project, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is responsible for evaluating the impacts of and ensuring water quality associated with this project.
- Secured: June 2016
Record of Decision and 404 Permit
- A major responsibility of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is administering the permitting program under Section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972, also known as the Clean Water Act. Permit review and authorization is a thoughtful and lengthy process that encourages avoidance of impacts, followed by minimizing impacts and, finally, requiring mitigation for unavoidable impacts to the aquatic environment.
- 404 Permit
- Secured: July 2017
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Hydropower License Amendment
- The Gross Reservoir Dam includes a 7.6 mW hydropower unit, which is licensed for operation by FERC. Under the Federal Power Act, FERC has exclusive authority to license non-federal hydropower projects. The amendment of license process requires that FERC address both the economics and engineering issues and the potential environmental and socioeconomic effects of project development and operation.
- Denver Water expects to receive the License Amendment by the end of 2019.
Latest News / Blog
Request for proposals: fish passage design services
April 30, 2019 - Learning By Doing is soliciting proposals from qualified firms for design services to improve fish passage at an existing rock weir diversion structure and to install a new fish screen on the adjacent diversion ditch. The project is located on the...
read moreCarroll: A drought will come again
Denver Post – "Those still wedded to an image of the big city plundering water from the West Slope without regard to consequences are embarrassingly out of date. And after more than three decades of talking about an expansion of Gross reservoir, it’s finally time to...
read moreProject related activities
April 18, 2019 – Denver Water will have contractor crews at the intersection of State Highway 72 and Gross Dam Road on Friday, April 19 performing geotechnical investigation activities. This work is necessary for the design of safety related roadway improvements for...
read moreA statement from the CEO/Manager
Below is a statement from Denver Water CEO/Manager Jim Lochhead regarding the April 11 complaint filed in District Court on the zoned land use exemption: Our commitment to the community has been demonstrated from the beginning when we intentionally and explicitly...
read more