A grant of $180,000 awarded recently by the Colorado Water Conservation Board will help the Upper Arkansas Water Conservation District to determine the amount of water in the Arkansas Valley.
The study will investigate the availability and sustainability of groundwater and calculate the water needed to recharge underground resources.
District General Manager Terry Scanga said that this information is a vital part of any discussion about current and future water use. “Determining the amount of water available will give municipal and land use planners a tool by which they can gauge sustainability,” said Scanga. The information will also help the District anticipate the need for new water projects.
The complex groundwater study will be conducted in phases and may last as long as a decade. Over the next year the Conservation District will also be installing new gauging stations in the Valley to gain a better understanding of surface water.
The District has partnered with the US Geological Survey, as well as local government entities, for these projects.
The money from the Colorado Water Conservation Board is part of $3.3 million awarded to 14 projects intended to help Colorado communities identify and meet critical water supply needs.
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