Court Upholds Permits for Gross Dam Expansion in Boulder County
The latest in this situation
How it started
What happened
The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled to lift a permanent injunction against the Gross Dam expansion, allowing Denver Water to proceed with the project in Boulder County. The court confirmed that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had issued construction permits responsibly and that the appeals court had not found the Corps' methodology arbitrary or capricious. The $600 million expansion, which involves raising the dam by 131 feet and tripling the reservoir's capacity, is largely complete.
From kunc.org, bondbuyer.com
Why it matters
The ruling validates the permits for the expansion, which utilizes water rights held in the Colorado River basin. The appeals court rejected the argument that the Corps failed to consider climate change or less-damaging alternatives when approving the project.
From kunc.org
Who's involved
- DenverDenver location where the associated water utility operates.
- Colorado RiverMajor river whose flow and ecology are influenced by the dam.
- Boulder CountyCounty where the reservoir expansion project is taking place.
- Gross DamInfrastructure whose expansion is central to the ruling.
How it developed
Newest first. Tap a step to see who reported it.- Gross Reservoir expansion secures water supply for the region.Sub-event
Denver Water is expanding Gross Dam in Boulder County to fill the reservoir.1 source
FERC issued orders governing the Gross Dam expansion, which affects river flow and ecology.1 source
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The entities involved
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Denver
consolidated city-county and capital of Colorado, United States
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Gross Dam
dam in Erath County, Texas, United States of America
Nothing else this week.
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Colorado River
major river in the western United States and Mexico
Related events
- The shared management of the Colorado River system, including the Morelos Dam, governs the flow into the Gulf of California.
- Federal government formalized water guidelines for the Colorado River system, emphasizing reservoir levels in Lake Powell and Lake Mead.
- Aurora and Colorado Springs are jointly seeking water supply via the Whitney concept while a lawsuit challenges expansion on South Boulder Creek.
- Utah seeks national representation while dealing with Colorado River water scarcity and the congressional oversight of the NRC and DOE.
- Denver manages infrastructure projects within the city.