Water Supply and Demand
protecting water quality
"Land use and water development shall not significantly degrade the health of the affected watershed(s)." — Routt County UDC
Important Rule:
Development should not harm local watersheds.
Developers must fix any negative impacts.
Main Problems:
Nitrogen & Phosphorus
Cause algae blooms in summer.
Current Discharges (MCMWSD):
Treats 92,000 gallons of water daily.
Releases 4.1 pounds of phosphorus and 26 pounds of nitrogen each day.
Runoff Contributions:
Natural runoff adds 57 pounds of phosphorus and 390 pounds of nitrogen from the Upper Yampa River Basin.
Watershed Facts:
Total area: 195,000 acres; SMR is about 4.2% of this area.
Sewer System Facts:
Serves 390 homes plus 121 more from sewage vaults.
Understanding Stagecoach Reservoir Water Quality issues:
Ways to Improve Water Quality
1.
Upgrading wastewater treatment
New technology will decrease:
0.6 pounds/day of phosphorus
13.6 pounds/day of nitrogen
Funding:
SMR will pay for upgrades and provide:
$1.64 million in the first year
$5.45 million per year when fully built.
2.
Stormwater management
Using smart techniques to manage runoff
Bioretention Areas
Infiltration Trenches
Pocket Wetlands
Effectiveness
Removes up to 95% of sediments and nutrients.
Reduces phosphorus by 50-70% and nitrogen by 55%.
Monitoring Plan
Track water quality during and after construction.
3.
Snowmaking
Snowmaking causes water impurities such as Nitrogen to precipitate out when water freezes.
Snowmaking on the northern slopes also causes a later melt, contributing colder water to the system later in the melt season.