摘要: |
Irrigation water in the western United States has always been a major concern for farming and ranching, especially in drought years. Water can be both scarce and expensive, and planning for future water storage and accessibility based on projected use is of paramount importance for irrigation districts. These considerations were of particular interest to the United Water Conservation District (UWCD) (today called the United Water and Sanitation District), Greenwood Village, Colo., when planning for storage and future use of water in Weld County, just to the northeast of Denver. To this end and as part of the overall water use plan, the UWCD initiated investigation and selection of a site for a storage reservoir in 2012. Based on feasibility studies and access to off-season stream water from the South Platte River, the UWCD selected a 250-acre (101-ha) site east of Kersey, Colo., at a location known as 70 Ranch. Engineers began site investigations and the preliminary design for the reservoir in 2013. They completed site geology and geotechnical investigations in 2014, and the design engineer provided design alternatives for the reservoir around the same time (Civil Resources LLC 2014). |