DENVER, Colorado – Public water entities from Colorado and Wyoming today announced a first-of-its kind joint collaboration formed to study the feasibility of a major water supply project that could benefit Front Range communities in both states.

The bi-state coalition is comprised of public sector water providers from the Front Range of Colorado and eastern Wyoming, which together represents more than 500,000 residents. The study will examine the possibility of building pipeline from the Flaming Gorge Reservoir on the Wyoming/Utah border to supplement the public water supplies of Coalition members in both states.

“The state of Colorado’s own State Water Supply Initiative clearly says that even with all the water projects currently in the pipeline, the Front Range and Platte River Basin will face significant water shortages in just a few decades,” said Frank Jaeger, General Manager of Parker Water and Sanitation District and coalition organizer. “As public water providers, it is our responsibility to look at all potential solutions, and we believe it was important to reach across state lines and have Colorado and Wyoming entities collaborate to determine whether this project makes sense for the people we serve,” he added.

The feasibility study is designed to:

• Identify the future water needs of each Coalition member
• Evaluate the water supply available from Flaming Gorge Reservoir to meet those needs
• Identify water supply infrastructure alternatives to deliver water consistent with needs, including the requirement for carryover storage, and
• Develop costs for the alternatives to assess the economic feasibility of such a project.

“This partnership was formed to study the feasibility of the idea – we don’t know if it would be economical or operationally viable – that’s what we want to find out – that is our responsibility to find out,” said Rod Kuharich, Manager of the South Metro Water Supply Authority, the largest water provider association in the southern Denver metro region.

Flaming Gorge Reservoir was a federal project created for the benefit of the Colorado River Upper Basin states. The possibility of transporting water from the reservoir for use along the Front Range of Wyoming and Colorado was first mentioned in the 1950s. More recently, the State of Colorado has listed Flaming Gorge as a serious alternative in meeting the water needs of Front Range communities.

Members of the coalition are:

For news coverage of the project, please visit the following links:
http://www.chieftain.com/news/local/article_5ef0bfb8-38b0-11df-bcad-001c...
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100326/NEWS01/3260333
http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/03/26/South_Denver_utilities...