HomeMy WebLinkAbout20-39 2020-20250 Water Action Plan 03-25-2020RESOLUTION NO.20-39
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TOWN OF
FIRESTONE, COLORADO, ADOPTING THE TOWN OF FIRESTONE
2020-2050 WATER ACTION PLAN
WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees ("Board") of the Town of Firestone ("Town") in
recognition of the importance of water resources for the Town's growth and economic wellbeing
sought to develop a long range water action plan; and
WHEREAS, to develop such a plan, the Town Board selected, based upon their skill and
expertise, retained Leonard Rice Engineers, Inc., ("LRE"); and
WHEREAS, LRE has developed the "Town of Firestone 2020-2050 Water Action Plan,"
which addresses how the Town will meet its projected raw and treated water demands from current
day to 2050; and
WHEREAS, upon review, the Board finds that LRE's Plan addresses the Town's request
and desires to adopt such as the Town's Water Plan.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE
TOWN OF FIRESTONE, COLORADO:
The Board of Trustees of the Town of Firestone adopts the "Town of Firestone 2020
Water Action Plan," in substantially the form as attached hereto and made a part of this
Resolution.
INTRODUCED, READ AND ADOPTED this 25`l' day of March, 2020.
F1R��r T WN OF FIRESTrONE, COLORADO
bi Si ar, Mayor
4 0
roG�T . ..•Or24�
ATTEST:
"sica Koenig, Tow %F11
PROS ei TO
William f. Washi, Town Attorney
FIRESTUNE
C O L U R A 1) U
2020 2050 Water Action Plan
March 10, 2020
CONNECTING WATER TO LIFE
C O L O R A D O
TOWN OF FIRESTONE
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Prepared for:
Town of Firestone
Date March 10, 2020
Project Number 1527TWF02-20
CONNECTING WATER TO LIFE
The technical material in this report was prepared by or under the supervision and direction of the undersigned, whose
seal as a Professional Engineer is affixed below.
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1 G4 4 O� ;ONO
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The following members of the LRE Water staff contributed to the preparation of this report.
Principal -in -Charge: Gregg S. Ten Eyck, P.E., Senior Project Engineer
Reviewer: Brett Gracely, P.E., D.WRE. Water Resources Planning and Management Practice Leader
ROCKY MOUNTAIN � MIDWEST � SOUTHWEST � TEXAS
Page ES-1
Executive Summary: 2020-2050 Water Action Plan
The 2020-2050 Water Action Plan addresses how the Town of Firestone ("Town" or restone") will meet raw water
and treated water demands over the next 10 to 30 years.
Raw water supplies are needed to deliver water to:
1) Carter Lake for transfer to the Central Weld County Water District (Central Weld);
2) Firestone reservoirs or to the St. Vrain Creek as augmentation water to support delivery to the Town's non -potable
irrigation system; and
3) Firestone reservoirs or to the St. Vrain Creek as augmentation water to support delivery to the St. Vrain Water
Authority (SVWA).
Raw water that is owned by the Town will be delivered to: 1) Central Weld for treatment and delivery to the Town's
distribution system; or 2) SVWA for treatment and delivery to the Town's distribution system.
Treated water demands addressed by this plan are for lands within the Town where the Town is the retail water
provider. This area includes lands south of the St. Vrain Creek and east of 1.25. This area is currently supplied water
that has been treated by Central Weld and delivered to master meters in Firestone. Firestone owns and operates its
own distribution system in the portion of Firestone where the Town is the retail provider of treated water. In this
document we will refer to this area as the "Firestone service area."
Lands within the Town that lie west of I-25 is served treated water by the Left Hand Water District ("LHWD") under a
retail service agreement. Lands with the Town that He north of St. Vrain Creek are in the Barefoot Lakes development,
which is served by a retail service agreement with Little Thompson Water District ("Little Thompson"). Providing water
to current and proposed customers in those areas is not the responsibility of the Town, and this action plan does not
address water needs for those areas.
Therefore, discussions in this action plan related to growth and water needs are only for the part of Firestone that is
served water under the wholesale agreement that Firestone has with Central Weld —the Firestone service area.
Colorado -Big Thompson ("C-BT") and Windy Gap project water sources that are owned by Firestone are treated by
Central Weld at the Carter Lake Filter Plant. That treated water is delivered by Central Weld to the Firestone service
area through various master meters owned by the Town.
The Town is a member of the St. Vrain Water Authority. The SVWA will accept raw water from the Town for treatment
and subsequent delivery to the Firestone service area, The SVWA water treatment plant is in the design phase and is
expected to be operational in 2022.
Discussions about water supplies below are for those supplies that the Town can acquire and transfer to Carter Lake
for subsequent delivery to Central Weld, or that can be delivered to the SVWA for treatment. Each of those sources
will deliver water to the Firestone service area.
The Town owns and operates its distribution system and all water service connections are metered and usage data is
reported on a monthly basis. The data relied upon and referenced in this plan are from the Town's metered usage data.
Page ES-2
Summary of Current Water use and Water Dedication Requirement
Firestone currently delivers about 2,500 acre-feet of water each year to the Carter Lake Filter Plant. Prior to 2019 the
supply was exclusively C-BT water; in 2020 the Town started delivery of Windy Gap water to the Carter Lake Filter
Plant.
The Town's raw water dedication requirements are codified in the municipal code. For a single family residence on a
lot of 10,000 square feet or less, the raw water dedication requirement is 0.60 acre-feet.
Summary of Projected New Water Demand
Section 3 projects water demand based on projected land use and projected population growth, at year 2030 and year
2050. About 2,000 acre-feet of new supply will need to be added between now and 2030, and about 2,600 acre-feet of
new supply will need to be added between 2030 and 2050.
Summary of Total New Raw Water Demand
(Acre-feet per Year)
Time Period
Additional
Supply
Required
2016--2030
11960
2031--2050
2,622
2016--2050
4,582
Summary of Projected Population Growth
Section 4 presents an estimate of the number of people expected to be added to the existing Firestone population by
the year 2030 and the year 2050. The projections are for the population wn the Firestone service area only.
Summary of Population Projections
YEAR
Population
Incremental
Growth from
2016
2016
13,059
-
2030
211481
81422
2050
32,750
19,691
Page ES-3
Summary of Estimated Costs and Cash and Financing Needs
Section 7 details the estimated cost of the individual elements of the 2020-2050 Water Action Plan. The table below is
a summary of the costs, listed by project type.
Summary of Total Estimated Costs
PROJECT TYPE
ESTIMATED
COST
CASH or OTHER
DEBT FINANCED
Other Source Water
$5252005000
$10,000,000
$42,200,000
Alluvial Wells
$15,5535000
$4,100,000
$111453,000
Augmentation Infrastructure
and Water Sources
$49,090,000
$113650,000
$37,4403000
Non -Potable Irrigation
$9,7647000
$1,5003000
$8,2643000
Water Treatment
$407850,000
$0
$405850,000
Pipelines and Tanks
$1631693000
$0
$167169,000
Total Costs 2020-2050
$183,6263000
$279250,000
$1563376,000
Summary of Costs by Phase
Section 8 gives information on the projects required and the estimated cash and financing needs for the 2020-2024
(Phase 1a), 2025-2030 (Phase 1b), and 2031-2050 (Phase 2) time periods.
Summary of Estimated Costs, by Phase
PHASE
ESTIMATED
COST
CASH or OTHER
DEBT FINANCED
Phase la: 2020--2022
$69,0663000
$2732503000
$41,8161000
Phase 1a: 2023-2024
$54,659,000
$0
$54,6595000
Phase 1b: 2025--2030
$24,531,000
$0
$2435315000
Phase 2: 2031--2050
$35,370,000
$0
$35,370,000
Total Costs: 2020--2050
$183,626,000
$27,2503000
$156,3763000
Page ES-4
Summary of Single Family Equivalent Taps
Section 9 gives Cl" estimate of the number of single family equivalent taps supported by the 1.5 MGD and 5 MGD water
treatment plant and associated infrastructure. The equivalent of about 3,100 new taps can be supported between now
and 2030, with an additional 4,150 new taps supported between 2030 and 2050.
Summary of Estimated Single Family Equivalent Taps
Equivalent Single
Time Period
Family Taps
2016--2030
3,108
2031--2050
41159
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1: Water Use in the Town of Firestone.........................................................................................................1
1.1 Metered data explanation. 0 P 0 0 1 0 0 A 0 0 0 a 0 0 9 1 0 0 a 0 a 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 5 a 0 a 0 0 a 0 a a a a I 1 8 0 a 0 1 1 a V 8 1 0 E 0 0 0 & 0 0 a 0 0 a 0 0 a 0 0 e 0 a d 0 k 0 f a I t I B a I a I a V I a I I I V E M E I E a 0 0 1 F 0 a 0 W 0 a 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 a 0
1 A A Distribution system losses...................................................................................................................2
1.1.2 Central Weld Surcharge.......................................................................................................................2
1.1.3 2012-2016 Total Water Use..............................................................................................................3
Section 2: Water Dedication Requirements and Water Supply Targets....................................................................3
Section 3: Water Demand Projections......................................................................................................................6
3.1 Future Water Demand Based on Land Use Projections. . 0 0 0 2 0 0 T 0 0 1 b 3 1 a I I I I a d I I I a a I a a ignition I E B E a E E a 0 a 0 0 5 B 0 a b i a a 0 1 S 0 B 1 0 B a a a 8 a 0 1 a a I N I a 9
3.2 Demand Based on Residential Zoning Lands............................................................................................11
3.3 Demand Based on Commercial Zoning Lands...........................................................................................12
3.4 Demand Based on Mixed Use Zoning Lands.............................................................................................12
3.5 Demand Based on Future Park Lands.......................................................................................................13
3.6 Summary ....................................................................................................................................................14
Section4: Population Projections...........................................................................................................................15
4.1 Population Supported by Land Use Projections.........................................................................................15
4.2 Total New Water Demand Based on Population Growth: 2030 and 2050..................................................15
4.2.1 New Water Demand for Year 2030....................................................................................................18
4.2.2 New Water Demand for 2050............................................................................................................19
4.3 Summary of New Water Demands, 2030 and 2050...................................................................................20
Section 5: Current Water Supplies..........................................................................................................................21
5.1 Colorado -Big Thompson.............................................................................................................................21
5.2 Windy Gap..................................................................................................................................................21
5.3 Leased water..............................................................................................................................................21
5.4 Summary of Water Supply Available at Carter Lake...................................................................................22
5.5 Native St. Vrain Creek Water......................................................................................................................22
5.5.1 Senior Water Rights...........................................................................................................................22
5.6 Summary of Current Native Water Supplies...............................................................................................23
Section 6: Future Water Supplies and Facilities......................................................................................................24
6.1 Change of Water Rights and Plan for Augmentation..................................................................................24
6.2 Raw Water Delivery....................................................................................................................................24
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
6.2.1 Wells and Wellfields...........................................................................................................................24
6.2.2 Mountain Shatlows Non -Potable Irrigation Well.................................................................................25
6.2.3 NISP pipeline... go 5*544voto4m avoid ISO 5*59594 94 504 54slamen Santo stake man moment 06*9010 Its man it ate Bill Its map I Moto moment 112825
6.2.4 St, Vrain Creek Diversion........ lots metal has 33 ISO man so at@ pozoaaawszo min 5*4 Islas 5*5414 memo moteanive mwmmff25
6.3 Raw Water Storage...................................................................................................................................W26
6.3.1 Firestone Reservoir No. 1.................................................................................................................126
6.3.2 Firestone Reservoir No. 2 (Brooks Pit)..............................................................................................26
6.3.3 Central Park Reservoir. . ff a ff a a a a a I a a 1 8 a a a I a 1 4 1 A W 1 4 4 a a 2 0 a 4 a a v 0 a A ff a 0 a a a 0 a ff 0 a a I a 0 1 1 a 1 0 a I a I a a I I a 4 1 a 1 2 1 0 a 0 a I a I a a a 0 a a 0 1 a 0 a a I a I t I a 0 0 a 8 1 1 a 8 1 0 1 a a I t 0 t I t 2 6
6.3A Other potential storage......................................................................................................................26
6.4 Potential New Water Supplies....................................................................................................................27
6.4.1 Native St, Vrain Creek Water,. Bola 95*41524 be* to MIN 1*6%1 Btotm&14 1 O%O*m Ism ovoulat1*16so ova Dag memo lamalto ease 0 w1mss*gmtmm4Im27
6.4.2 Right of First Refusal........................................................................................................................627
6.4.3 Northern Integrated Supply Project... an a an mmmalm so otatat1*1 Be law ago moment omtkamxazm Boost as 1*622*1 ass It 028
6.4.4 Windy Gap Return Flow Credits........................................................................................................28
6.4.5 NISP Return Flow Credits..................................................................................................................28
6.5 Estimates of Additional Water Needed for Delivery to SVWA Treatment Plant..........................................29
Section 7: Projected Costs for Implementation of the 2020-2050 Water Action Plan...........................................31
7.1 Central Weld Carter Lake Filter Plant.........................................................................................................34
7.2 Other Source Water —Windy Gap and NISP..............................................................................................34
7.3 Alluvial Well Systems.................................................................................................................................34
7.4 Augmentation Infrastructure and Water Sources. am stoltosm**g MIN hue stmamelosaw Ismail me 5*020KE ought his annual R242935
7.5 Non -Potable Irrigation System.... Ism N*Tmtgtmmtm*a B*M*bmvm be Itstlealtv mxwm*m butistato misama Olson NOR Big now a 0 2 0 2 0 A I a 0 a a 9 a x x 0 a I I a a a a *36
7.6 St. Vrain Water Authority Water Treatment Plant.......................................................................................37
7.7 Pipelines and Tanks...................................................................................................................................37
7.8 Summary of Project Costs by Project Type................................................................................................38
Section 8: Phased Implementation of the 2020-2050 Water Action Plan.............................................................39
8.1 2020-2024: Phase 1a..............................................................................................................................39
8.2 2025--2030: Phase 1 be. 9 a I a 4 1 a 1 9 t 1 9 a 9 1 a 9 9 5 a 5 a 5 4 2 0 a a 9 a a a 2 1 a a a I a I & 0 1 a t I a I a a I v 4 5 4 1
8.3 2031--2050: Phase 2.................................................................................................................................42
Section 9: Single Family Equivalent Taps...............................................................................................................43
Section10: References.......................................................................................................................................944
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Average Annual Water Use, by Category.......................................................................................................1
Figure 2: Schematic of Surcharge and Losses..............................................................................................................2
Figure 3: 2012 Residential Water Use by 1,984 Accounts............... 0 1 0 ff 0 ff 0 0 B 0 s 0 0 T a 1 0 0 a 9 0 0 a 0 1 4 1 1 1 1 a f E E I E I E E E I E r a I a 0 r 0 z a 0 z 0 0 M 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 & a ff 0 0 2 0 0 a 0 0 x 0 V4
Figure4: Final Quota for C-BT, 1957-2019....................................................................................................................5
Figure 5: 2019 Town of Firestone Growth Boundary.....................................................................................................6
Figure 6: 2018 Town of Firestone Zoning Map..............................................................................................................7
Figure 7: Town of Firestone Land Use Map...................................................................................................................8
Figure 8: 2018 Town of Firestone Zoning Map with Service Areas Identified................................................................9
Figure 9: Population Data and Projections, Firestone Service Area 2000-2050..........................................................16
Figure 10: New Dwelling Units per Year Added to Firestone Service Area..................................................................17
Figure 11: Total and Incremental Population Projections.............................................................................................18
Figure 12: Location of SVWA and Firestone Facilities at Colorado Blvd. and Zinnia Ave............................................32
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Total Annual Water Use, Acre-Feet.................................................................................................................3
Table 2: Firestone Service Area Land Use Projections, I I 1 0 1 1 1 1 9 1 9 0 0 1 1 0 4 a I 1 1 4 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 9 1 0 1 8 0 4 0 1 0 1 0 0 a ff 0 a a 0 0 a 1 9 a I a I I I 1 0 0 a 9 0 a 9 9 1 1 1 1 0 9 0 1 a 9 1 1 a a 9 0 a I a I a 0 5 0 9 10
Table 3: Residential Density for Zoning Category........................................................................................................11
Table 4: Water Demand for Residential Zoning. 1 0 0 0 0
Table 5: Water Demand for Commercial Zoning..........................................................................................................12
Table 6: Distribution of Land Use Within Mixed Use Zoning and Water Demand........................................................12
Table 7: Water Demand for Mixed Use Zoning............................................................................................................13
Table8: Water Demand for Parks................................................................................................................................13
Table 9: Summary of Total Water Demand Based on Projected Land Use.................................................................14
Table 10: Summary of New Population Based on Projected Land Use.......................................................................15
Table 11: Summary of Population Projections for 2030 and 2050...............................................................................17
Table12: 2030 New Water Demand, I I 1 0 1 0 1 0 9 5 1 a 9 1 1 5 0 9 0 1 9 A 0 1 a 0 a 0 2 0 0 0 ff 0 0 1 0 a 0 A 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 5 0 9 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 a I I go be I evoo WIN 1 3 a a 9 a 1919181 good I a post I I I a I I to to 19
Table13: 2050 New Water Demand............................................................................................................................19
Table 14: 2013-2050 Incremental New Water Demand,
Table 15: Summary of New Water Demand.................................................................................................................20
Table 16: Water Supplies Available at Carter Lake, 2020, ...........................................................................................22
Table 17: Water Supplies Available at Firestone Reservoir No. 1, 2020......................................................................23
Table 18: Estimated Additional Annual Native Water Needed, 2016-2030 to Meet 2030 Demands .........................29
Table 19: Estimated Additional Annual Native Water Needed, 2031-2050 to Meet 2050 Demands ........................030
Table 20: Estimated Costs for 5 MGD Water Supply, 2019 Dollars.............................................................................33
Table 21: Cash and Debt Financing Needs, Other Water Sources, 34
Table 22: Cash and Debt Financing Needs, Alluvial Well Systems.............................................................................35
Table 23 Cash and Debt Financing Needs, Augmentation Infrastructure and Water Sources....................................36
Table 24: Cash and Debt Financing Needs, Non -Potable Irrigation System................................................................36
Table 25: Cash and Debt Financing Needs, Water Treatment Plant and Delivery System.........................................37
Table 26: Cash and Debt Financing Needs, Pipelines and Tanks...............................................................................38
Table 27: Cash and Debt Financing Needs, Summary of Project Costs by Project Type............................................39
Table 28: Cash and Debt Financing Needs, Phase 1 a Project Costs, 2020-2022....................................................40
Table 29: Cash and Debt Financing Needs, Phase 1 a Project Costs, 2023-2024....................................................40
Table 30: Cash and Debt Financing Needs, Phase 1 b Project Costs, 2025-2030....................................................41
Table 31: Cash and Debt Financing Needs, Phase 2 Project Costs, 2031-2050......................................................42
Table 32: Mixed Use, Commercial and Residential Water Demand and Estimated Single Family Equivalent Taps ...43
2020-2050 Water Action Plan Page 1
SECTION 1: WATER USE IN THE TOWN OF FIRESTONE
This section discusses current water use within the Town of Firestone.
1.1 METERED DATA EXPLANATION
About 92 percent of the Town's metered use is for four categories of use: commercial (10 percent of total use); irrigation
of Town of Firestone (Government) parks and open space) (8 percent); private irrigation of parks and open space (7
)ercent); and single family residential (67 percent). Other categories of metered use are: mobile home park (6 percent);
industrial (1 percent); and multi -family (1 percent). Discussion below is on water use by the first three categories, which
in total represent about 92 percent of historical metered water use. Multi -family water use is expected to grow, and we
expect to have more data available to project future demands (see page 4 of the 2018 Water Rate Study),
Figure 1
Average Annual Water Use, by Category
Gov
Private Ir
7%
Industrial
1%
Multi Fam
1%
Mobile Horr
6%
iF Residential
67%
2020-2050 Water Action Plan Page 2
1.1.1 Distribution system losses
Based on a comparison of master meter data and data from individual meters in Firestone conducted by Colorado Civil
Group ("CCG"), it is estimated that there is one to four percent loss of water between the master meters and the
individual meters (page 7, March 2010 Potable Water Master Plan). A three percent distribution system loss is assumed
in demand calculations below.
1.1.2 Central Weld Surcharge
The agreement with Central Weld requires that the Town of Firestone transfer 20 percent more &BT and Windy Gap
water than is delivered to the master meters.
The amount of water reported as delivered to the Carter Lake Filter Plant below is based on the total of the individual
meter use, divided by 0.97 to account for three percent losses in Firestone, times 1.20 to account for the Central Weld
surcharge.
The sketch below illustrates the above losses and surcharge:
Figure 2
Schematic of Surcharge and Losses
1.20 at Carter Lake
20 percent surcharge
0.97 at individual meter 1.0 at master meters
A I I I I I hilim
14 0
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
1.1.3 2012-2016 Total Water Use
Page 3
The table below shows the total annual metered water use for the 2012-2016 time period. This period was selected
because at that time the entire population of the Town was within the land area that will be served by the SVWA
Treatment Plant. The table reflects the estimated three percent distribution system loss and the 20 percent surcharge
for water delivered to the Carter Lake Filter Plant. The average annual use in this period was about 2,500 acre-feet.
Table 1
Total Annual Water Use, Acre-feet
Average
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2012--2016
At the Individual
2,235
1,799
11868
21013
21098
2,003
Meter, AF
At the Master
21304
11854
11926
2,075
21163
2,064
Meter, AF
At the Treatment
21765
21225
21311
21490
2,596
21477
Plant, AF
SECTION 2: WATER DEDICATION REQUIREMENTS AND WATER SUPPLY
TARGETS
The Firestone raw water dedication requirements are defined in Chapter 13.08 of the Firestone Municipal Code. The
amount of water that must be transferred to the Town is based on projected demand for potable water, which is based
on land use, including lot size for single family residential uses. The raw water dedication requirement for a single
family home on a lot of 10,000 square feet or less is based on meeting an annual demand of about 158,000 gallons at
the single family residential meter. This creates a demand of about 195,500 gallons, or 0.60 acre-feet at Carter Lake
per single family dwelling unit. This is the amount of water supplied when the C-BT quota is 0.60 acre-feet.
To compare this dedication requirement to historical demands we made a detailed analysis of 2012 water use metered
to 1,984 single family taps serving lots of 101000 square feet or less and that had 12 months of data available. Meters
that had zero water use data in any month were excluded from the analysis, to eliminate data from new homes or
homes that had an apparent vacancy during the year.
A total of 629 taps, or about 32 percent of the meters analyzed delivered 158,000 gallons or more in 2012. The average
use reported by the 1,984 meters analyzed was 139,800 gallons. The median annual water usage was 135,000 gallons,
or about 85 percent of the 158,000 gallon target. This means that 50 percent of the individual taps used more than
135,000 gallons.
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Figure 3 shows the actual annual metered water use for each of the 1,984 meters analyzed.
Figure 3
2012 Residential Water Use by 1,984 Accounts
Page 4
CY 2012 SF Residential Water Use, Sorted by Ascending Usage
500,000
•••••• Average
450,000
Median
400,000
Metered Water Use
350,000
Target
300,000
M
v
>& 250,000
v
a
a 200,000
c
O
m150,000................................................................................
100,000
50,000
0
Account
To compare the single family lot dedication requirement based 0.60 acre-feet per lot to historical supply conditions, we
looked at the frequency of declared allocation quotas of less than 0.60 acre-feet per C-BT unit. In the 63 years of data
(1957-2019), there were five years of 0.50 acre-feet quota. This means that the C-BT water supply available would not
have been adequate to meet the planned target approximately 8 percent of the time,
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
90'S
[Si5
sow
m
m
rz�
ELu?
m
Figure 4
Final Quota for C-BT, 1957-2019
1957 1%; 1%7 197! 1977 198; 3987 1992 199] 5002 l007 ;OB l017
Page 5
There is always uncertainty when projecting the availability of water supplies. In the case of the availability of C-BT
project water, the hydrologic and climatic uncertainty is compounded by political uncertainty. There have been many
changes in C-BT contract unit ownership and federal and state water allocation processes since the Colorado -Big
Thompson project was developed. In addition, there is considerable uncertainty about long-term future operations of
the C-BT project. This means that C-BT users cannot rely on historical data to indicate the magnitude of future water
deliveries.
The Town is not going to increase or to decrease its water dedication requirement of 0.60 acre-feet per single family
(518-inch water tap) at this time. The Town expects to re-evaluate this dedication requirement in the next 5 to 10 years
after new supplies are available, new raw water storage facilities are available, and new treatment options are fully
operational.
2020-2050 Water Action Plan Page 6
SECTION 3: WATER DEMAND PROJECTIONS
This section projects future water demands based on land use, population, and unit water demands. Water demands
described below are "at the meter," meaning that demands need to be adjusted upwards to account for delivery system
losses or treatment system losses that occur after the master meter. This adjustment will be addressed at the end of
the section.
Projections are made from 2016 as the baseline year. That year was selected as the baseline year because the
population of the Town in 2016 only included residents within the portion of the Town served water through the Town's
distribution system. In other words, in 2016 all the residents of the Town were within the Firestone service area and
were using C-BT water treated by Central Weld.
The projections based on land use are based on the 2019 Town of Firestone growth boundary, as shown in Figure 5,
the 2018 zoning, as shown in Figure 6, and land use, as shown in Figure 7.
Links to a high resolution version of Figures 5, 6 and 7 are included in the references listed at the end of this document.
Figure 5
2 )19 Town of Firestone Growth Boundary
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Figure 6
2018 Town of Firestone Zoning Map
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ZONING MAP
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Page 7
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Tt
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A COMMUNITY INMOTION
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Figure 7
Town of Firestone Land Use Map
TOWN ur FIRESTONE
LAND USE MAP
DEVELOPMENT STATUS
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I I�u1nu s�H*ai ■�C�'�.wa,wwan�aTJM'�i'+[�
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2020-2050 Water Action Plan Page 9
3.1 FUTURE WATER DEMAND BASED ON LAND USE PROJECTIONS
The following table of land use projections has been adopted from Table G.1 of the 2019 Firestone Potable Water
Distribution System Master Plan prepared by Colorado Civil Group, Inc. It is based on the growth boundaries, zoning,
and land use as shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7, above.
Table 2 does not include land use projections for those portions of Firestone that are served by the Little Thompson
Water District (north of St. Wain Creek) or the Left Hand Water District (west of k25). The table below, and all
projections that follow, are based on development anticipated in the areas within the Firestone service area.
Figure 8, below is based on Figure 6 and is included to show the general locations of the service areas of the LHWD,
Little Thompson and Firestone.
Figure 8
2018 Town of Firestone Zoning Map with Service Areas Identified
�'Rod 00; ,,,,
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Table 2
Firestone Service Area Land Use Projection
21
10
1 134
144
22
11
1 135
145
23
151
151
24
46
46
25
44
126
169
26
20
378
234
631
27
10
9
140
404
563
28
10
10
66
457
72
615
31
4
119
123
32
5
528
533
33
8
622
630
34
6
584
590
35
4
325
306
634
36
159
159
1
10
63
72
145
2
17
10
70
540
636
3
20
141
470
631
4
13
29
114
156
5
14
424
438
6
231
6
237
8
4
418
95
518
9
12
20
29
384
182
627
10
10
30
474
118
632
11
11
10
77
535
633
12
10
62
71
142
13
69
69
14
6
309
315
15
73
238
311
16
10
312
319
641
17
10
597
607
18
262
17
42
67
389
20
80
80
21
10
20
389
231
650
28
10
50
256
316
29
10
149
159
35
16
16
36
95
95
1
146
146
2
11
65
36
23
36
88
12
35
35
13
4
69
72
14
63
80
16
159
TOTAL
1 415
338
1 2,865
71516
1 21893
85
14,111
Page 10
2020-2050 Water Action Plan Page 11
The March 2010 Potable Water Master Plan provided estimates of unit water use rates (acre-feet per acre, for example)
for categories of zoning and land use, based on historical Firestone data. In addition, some unit demands have been
adjusted or updated for this Action Plan, and will be described below.
3.2 DEMAND BASED ON RESIDENTIAL ZONING LANDS
Table 3 shows the total acres for Residential -Low, Residential -Medium and Residential -High zoned lands. The
assumed densities in dwelling units per acre for those three zoning designations in the table are based on the analysis
conducted by CCG for Firestone lands east of I-25.
Table 3
Residential Density for Zoning Category
LAND USE
CATEGORY
Acres
DENSITY,
DU/acre
R-L
7,516
1.14
R-M
21893
2.94
R-H
85
6.3
Single family residential demand for lands developed between now and 2050 will be based on a total average year
future water demand per single family residence of 162,295 gallons, or 0.5 acre-feet per year. This demand is "at the
meter" of the individual water user.
Water Demand for Residential Zoning
(Acre-feet per year, c, the Meter)
Average
Average
Land Use
Density
Annual
Annual Total
Category
(DU/acre)
Outdoor Use,
Use, (af/acre)
(af/acre)
R-L
1.14
0.570
0.325
R-M
2.94
1.470
0.838
R-H
6.3
3.150
1.796
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Page 12
3so DEMAND BASED ON COMMERCIAL ZONING LANDS
Lands annexed for commercial land use are estimated to have an average year demand of 1.52 acre-feet per acre.
Based on 2012 meter data, about 46 percent water delivered to commercial meters is forecast to be used outdoors.
Table 5
Water Demand for Commercial Zoning
(At the Meter)
Ave rage
Average
Average
Land Use
Annual
Acres
Annual Total
Annual Indoor
Category
Outdoor Use,
Use, (af)
Use, (af)
(af)
Commercial
1 338
1 514
1 236
1278
3.4 DEMAND BASED ON MIXED USE ZONING LANDS
Mixed Use is a category of future land use specified in many annexations of parcels into the Town of Firestone. The
actual amount of commercial, residential, office or park land of any individual annexed parcel that is zoned as Mixed
Use is not known until much later in the development process. The future water demand has been projected based on
a distribution of zoning and demand in acre-feet per acre used in previous planning reports, as shown in the following
table:
Table 6
Distribution of Land Use Within Mixed Use Zoning and Water Demand
Zoning
% of Total
Annual of/acre
Weighted annual
of/acre
Commercial/Office
15%
1.520
0.228
Employment/Office
25%
1.374
0.343
R-M
35%
1.470
0.515
R-H
25%
3.150
0.788
Total
100%
1.873
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Based on the above distribution, the net new water demand for Mixed Use lands is;
Table 7
Water Demand for Mixed Use Zoning
(Acre-feet per year, at the Meter)
Average
Land Use
Average
Annual
Average
Acres
Annual Total
Annual Indoor
Category
Outdoor Use,
Use, (af)
Use, (af)
(af)
Mixed Use
21865
51366
1 31027
2,340
Page 13
3.5 DEMAND BASED ON FUTURE PARK LANDS
Based on assumed demand of 1.8 acre-feet per acre in an average year, the net water demand for new park lands is
projected as 746 acre-feet per year.
Table 8
Water Demand for Parks
(Acre-feet per year, at the Meter)
Average
Average
Average
Land Use
Annual
Acres
Annual Total
Annual Indoor
Category
Outdoor Use,
Use, (af)
Use, (af)
(af)
Parks
415
746
1 746
0
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Page 14
3.6 SUMMARY
The total new water demand projected to be needed by the lands tabulated on Table 2, is listed below. The total annual
demand for additional water supplies is projected to be in the range of 15,430 acre-feet in an average year. These are
demands measured "at the meter" of the Firestone water customers.
Table 9
Summary of Total Water Demand Based on Projected Land Use
(Acre-feet per year, at the Meter)
Average
Average
Average
Land Use
Annual Total
Annual
Annual
Category
Use
Outdoor Use
Indoor Use
Residential
8,803
51018
3,785
Commercial
514
236
278
Mixed Use
51366
31027
2,340
Parks
746
746
-
Total
15,430
91027
6,403
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Page 15
SECTION 4: POPULATION PROJECTIONS
The demand for new water supplies to serve new lands in the Firestone service area, as shown in Table 9, is not for a
point in time. The projected annual water demand is for the time when these lands are fully developed. This section
will apportion the projected future water demand to year 2030 and year 2050 based on population growth projections.
4.1 POPULATION SUPPORTED BY LAND USE PROJECTIONS
Based on density of dwelling units on acreage that has been annexed into Firestone or based on the approved
development plans or zoning, the population that will be supported by development of 10,493 acres of residential
developments and 1,719 acres of residential lands within mixed use developments is estimated to be about 75,200
new residents. The assumed occupancy per dwelling unit is 3.0 persons, based on historical Firestone data.
Table 10
Summary of New Population Based on Projected Land Use
Land Use
Category
DU/acre
Residential
Mixed Use
Total
Population
Acres
DU total
At 3.0/DU
Acres
DU total
At 3.0/DU
R-L
1.14
71516
81568
25,705
-
-
-
25,705
R-M
2.94
2,893
8,504
25,512
11003
21948
8,843
341355
R-H
6.30
85
534
11603
716
4,512
13,535
15,137
TOTAL
10,493
17,606
51,411
1 1,719
7,459
21,781
1 75,197
Adding 75,200 new residents to the estimated 2016 population of about 13,050 people, means that a total of about
88,250 people will live in the Firestone service area. The table above shows that lands in the Firestone service area
will include about 25,100 new single family residential units. At historic growth rates it would take many decades for
Firestone's population and housing stock to reach that level.
4.2 TOTAL NEW WATER DEMAND BASED ON POPULATION GROWTH: 2030 AND
To convert the estimated new demand presented above into new demand for water in the year 2030 and year 2050,
we compare the projected population at those points in time to the total population supported by the land uses, as
shown in Table 10, above. Then, assuming that all growth in water demand by type of use will be in proportion to
population growth we can project the amount of new water required in 2030 and 2050.
To project the population of Firestone that will be in the Firestone service area in 2030 and in 2050 we compared three
different projections. For all three projections, we started with the estimated population of 13,059 that was within the
Firestone service area in 2016.
In the first projection we used the December 2019 State Demography Office (SDO) projections of growth rates in Weld
County. The SDO projections are made for 5-year increments, and ranged from 3.2 percent projected growth from
2015 to 2020 to 2.0 percent growth from 2045 to 2050. These SDO projections are an assumed average growth rate
for all parts of Weld County.
Second, we used a straight line projection of 3.5 percent growth in each 5-year increment.
Third, we used a December 2019 projection that CCG developed for future population within the Firestone service
area. CCG based their projection on actual new housing units built between 2016 and 2019 and projected development
based on actual zoning applications or annexation agreements. The CCG population growth rates ranged from an
average of 4.3 percent per year from 2020 to 2025, to 2 percent per year from 2034 to 2050.
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Page 16
In summary, the graph below shows population projections for the Firestone service area ranging from about 20,400
to 21,500 by the year 2030, and a population between about 32,000 and 42,000 in the year 2050.
so,oao
45,000
Q 40,000
� LQ
V 35,000
H 30,000
G
25,000
Z
ZG 20,000 -
g
� 15,000 —
a
g
10,000 —
5,000 -
loo
0 +�
2000
Figure 9
Population Data and Projections, Firestone Service Area 20M2050
—t— Actual Firestone Service Area Population
—�— "3.5%" Projection
December 2019SDO
—A— December 2019 CCG Estimate (3 pax/DU)
2010
42,063
I
_ 7
0 3%41.4 A 32,750
i
31,217
27506 �� 1- * ai 29,9427�C 7p,618
25104 28,274
#Am� 2
21,481 go 40 i �w 5,359
*23je9 224523
18,401
16,012 i i7',198 19,714
-14-—
K813
2020
2030 Projections: 19,714 (2o19soo); 21,139 (^3.5%"); 21,481([c�)
2050 Projections: 31,217 (2o195Do); 32,750 (CCG); 42,061(•3.5%")
2030
2050
Because the CCG projections are based on the most Firestone -specific data and land use -specific data, we use the
CCG projected population of about 21,500 in 2030 and about 33,000 in 2050 in calculations below. While this growth
appears substantial, the CCG projection is based on a range of about 150 to 275 new dwelling units per year in the
Firestone service area, which is similar to or less than recent experience. Figure 10 shows the number of dwelling units
added per year that was assumed in the CCG population projection.
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Figure 10
New Dwelling Units per Year Added to Firestone Service Area
Page 17
300
250 ■ Projected
■ Actual
200
150
100
50
0
2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 2026 2028 2030 2032 2034 2036 2038 2040 2042 2044 2046 2048 2050
The incremental growth in population between 2016 and 2030 and between 2016 and 2050, compared to the total
projected incremental growth in population based on land use is shown in the following table. The data that will be used
in the following sections is in the far right column of Table 11.
Table 11
Summary of Population Projections for 2030 and 2050
Period Incremental Growth (2016-2030
Projected Population in CWCWD Service Area
and 2016-2050) as Percent of Total
Incremental Growth
Dec 2019 SDO
"3.5 %" line
Dec 2019 CCG
Dec 2019
Dec 2019
YEAR
Incremental
Incremental
Incremental
"3.5%" line
Population
Population
Population
SDO
CCG
Growth
Growth
Growth
2016
13,059
13,059
13,059
-
-
2030
19,714
6,655
21,139
8,080
21,481
8,422
8.2%
10.0%
11.2%
2050
31,217
18,158
42,061
29,002
32,750
19,691
22.4%
35.8%
26.2%
88,256
75,197
88,256
75,197
88,256
75,197
100.0%
1 100.0%
100.0%
2020-2050 Water Action Plan Page 18
The following schematic shows, for the portion of the Town within the Firestone service area, the relationship between
total projected population based on all the lands available for development and the projected population in 2030 and
2050.
Figure 11
Total and Incremental Population Projections
Year 2016 2030 2050 ZD77
% of New Water 0% 11.2'Yo 26.2% 100%
uemand
% of Incremental 09'0
Growth
Incremental
Population
Growth
Total
Population
26.2%
tie
13,059 21,500 32,750 88,250
14,111 acres
Total Population of 88,250
Incremental Population Growth of
75r200
4.2.1 New Water Demand for Year 2030
Based on the November 2019 CCG estimate of population in 2030, we estimate that the new water demand for the
year 2030 will be 11.2 percent of total projected demand growth for the Town of Firestone lands in the Firestone service
area. Table 12, below, is calculated as 11.2 percent of the values in Table 9, above. The total annual demand is in the
range of 1,720 acre-feet, at the individual customer meter in an average year.
This projection is for the incremental new water supply required to support growth between 2017 and 2030, Accordingly,
the reusable component of the Windy Gap water supply recently acquired by the Town (discussed later) is available to
meet the new water demands in 2030 and beyond.
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Table 12
2030 New Water Demand
(Acre-feet per year, at the Meter)
Average
Average
Average
Land Use
Annual
Annual
Annual Total
Category
Outdoor Use,
Indoor Use,
Use, (af)
(af)
(af)
Residential
986
562
424
Commercial
58
26
31
Mixed Use
601
339
262
Parks
84
84
-
Total
11728
1,011
717
Page 19
4.2.2 New Water Demand for 2050
Based on the November 2019 CCG estimated of population in 2050, we estimate that the new water demand for the
year 2050 will be 26.2 percent of the total water demand to serve all the lands in the Firestone service area. The total
annual new demand at year 2050 is in the range of 4,040 acre-feet.
Table 13, below, is calculated as 26.2 percent of the values in Table 9, above
Table 13
2050 New Water Demand
(Acre-feet per year, at the Meter)
Average
Average
Average
Land Use
Annual
Annual
Annual Total
Category
Outdoor Use,
Indoor Use,
Use, (af)
(af)
(af)
Residential
21305
11314
991
Commercial
135
62
73
Mixed Use
1,405
793
613
Parks
195
195
-
Total
4,040
21364
1 11677
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Page 20
Table 14 shows the incremental growth in demand between 2031 and 2050, which is calculated as the difference
between Table 13 and Table 12. The incremental additional annual demand for water is about 2,310 acre-feet.
Table 14
2031-2050 Incremental New Water Demand
(Acre-feet per year, at the Meter)
Average
Average
Average
Land Use
Annual Total
Annual
Annual
Category
Use
Outdoor Use
Indoor Use
Residential
11319
752
567
Commercial
77
35
42
Mixed Use
804
454
351
Parks
112
112
-
Total
2,312
1,353
960
4.3 SUMMARY OF NEW WATER DEMANDS, 2030 AND 2050
Table 15 summarizes the new water demand at the individual meter, at the master meter, and at the treatment plant.
Of the 4,582 acre-feet listed as demand at the treatment plant, as much as 307 acre-feet may actually be used for park
irrigation, delivered directly by the non -potable irrigation system as it is developed. The values in the right column are
the new raw water supply targets that will be discussed below.
Table 15
Summary of New Water Demand
(Acre-feet per year)
Time Period
At the Meter
At the
Master
Meter
To
Treatment
Plant
2016--2030
11728
11782
11960
2031--2050
2,312
2,384
21622
2016--2050
4,040
4,165
4,582
2020-2050 Water Action Plan Page 21
SECTION 5: CURRENT WATER SUPPLIES
5.1 COLORADO-BIG THOMPSON
The Town owns about 51332 units of Colorado -Big Thompson (C-BT) acre-foot contracts. Each unit receives a variable
yield, based on the quota as declared by the Board of the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District ("Northern")
each year. While the average final quota over the last 30 years is about 0.71 acre-feet per year, the final quota declared
in 11 of the last 30 years was 0.60 or 0.50 acre-feet per unit. The Town bases all water supply plans on a C-BT quota
of 0.60 acre-feet per unit each year.
C-BT water is delivered to the Carter Lake Filter Plant for treatment by Central Weld.
The 2019 supply of C-BT water is assumed to be 2,949 acre-feet. This is based on 4,915 units, at 0.6 acre-feet per
unit. (An additional 417 C-BT units are assumed dedicated to providing 250 acre-feet for Windy Gap "in -lieu" water,
discussed below.) Some of the 4,915 C-BT units that have been transferred to the Town by developers are for water
taps that have not yet been activated because the individual homes within the development have not all been built.
5.2 WINDY GAP
The Town owns five units of Windy Gap water; these units are not part of the Windy Gap Firming Project, so the
variability in their yield is projected to be quite large. While each unit has a nominal yield of 100 acre-feet, Northern
considers the annual firm yield to be 50 acre-feet per unit (see Resolution D-962-02-95). For purposes of this Action
Plan, the Town is planning for an annual yield of 50 acre-feet per unit, and also assumes that to achieve this firm yield
the Town will need to dedicate 50 acre-feet of C-BT yield per unit as "in -lieu" water. This requires a dedication of the
yield from 417 C-BT units, at a yield of 0.6 acre-feet per unit.
Windy Gap water is delivered to Carter Lake for delivery to the Carter Lake Filter Plant for treatment by Central Weld.
5.3 LEASED WATER
The Town has a lease for 300 acre-feet of water from the City of Loveland. That lease expires on July 1, 2026, and it
may be extended for five years to July 1, 2031.
When this water is requested by Firestone, it can be delivered to Carter Lake for delivery to the Carter Lake Filter Plant
for treatment by Central Weld.
Although this lease is an important short-term supply, it is not considered to be available to meet future demands in
2030 or 2050. This supply will not be discussed in the text or tables below.
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
5.4 SUMMARY OF WATER SUPPLY AVAILABLE AT CARTER LAKE
Table 16
Water Supplies Available at Carter Lake, 2020
Water Source
Units or
Annual
Shares
Acre-feet
C-BT
4,915
units
21949
C-BT "in lieu"
417 units
250
Windy Gap
5 shares
Total
3,199
5.5 NATIVE ST. VRAIN CREEK WATER
Page 22
5.5.1 Senior Water Rights
The Town has recently acquired shares in senior irrigation ditches to support the Town's non -potable irrigation system
and augmentation needs. These include shares in the Lower Boulder Ditch, the Rural Ditch, and the Godding Ditch.
The total average annual yield of these sources is estimated at 308 acre-feet.
5.5.1.1 Lower Boulder Ditch Company
The Town owns 3.97 Preferred shares and 6.667 Common shares of the Lower Boulder VI stock. These
shares are included in the augmentation plan discussed below.
The estimated average annual delivery of water from these Lower Boulder shares to the Firestone Reservoir No. 1 or
No. 2, or to the storage planned at Central Park is about 250 acre-feet. Of that amount, it is estimated that about 139
acre-feet is fully consumable water that can support irrigation needs or augmentation needs, and the remaining 111
acre-feet will be returned to the St. Vrain Creek system to maintain historical return flow patterns. The dry year yield of
these shares is estimated to be about 65 percent of the average year yield, or about 90 acre-feet, however the operation
of the Firestone Reservoir No. 1 will allow the Town to deliver the annual average supply each year.
5.5.1.2 Rural Ditch Company
The Town owns 2.41 shares in the Rural Ditch Company. In addition, the Town has 1.9 shares under option from the
L.G. Everist Company. These shares are included in the augmentation plan discussed below.
The estimated average yield of the 2.41 shares currently owned by the Town is about 236 acre-feet per year that can
be delivered to the Firestone Reservoir No.1 or Firestone Reservoir No. 2. The net amount that will be fully consumable
by the Town is estimated at about 129 acre-feet per year; the remainder of the water delivered to the reservoir will be
returned to the St. Vrain Creek to maintain historical return flow patterns. The dry year yield of these shares is estimated
2020-2050 Water Action Plan Page 23
to be about 50 percent of the average year yield, or about 118 acre-feet. However the operation of the Firestone
reservoirs will allow the Town to deliver the annual average supply each year.
Only I shares currently owned by the Town are reflected in table 17, below, with an estimated average annual
historical consumptive use of 129 acre-feet per year.
5.5.1.3 Godding Ditch Company
The Town owns 4 shares in the Godding Ditch Company
discussed below.
These
shares are not included in the augmentation plan
The Town has not yet developed estimates of deliveries to storage or return flow requirements for these shares.
Previous water court cases that changed of use of Godding Ditch Company water rights have decreed average yields
ranging from 7.3 acre-feet per share to 12.1 acre-feet per share.
This supply is estimated to produce about 40 acre-feet per year of average annual supply, and is estimated to be
available by 2024.
5.6 SUMMARY OF CURRENT NATIVE WATER SUPPLIES
Table 17 summarizes the native water supplies owned by the Town in 2020 that will be available at the Firestone
Reservoir upon completion of water court change cases.
Water Supplies Available at Firestone Reservoir No. 1, 2020
Water
Source
Shares
Annual
Acre-feet
Year
Available
Lower Boulder
Ditch
3.97 Preferred
6.667 Common
103
36
2022
Rural Ditch
2041
129
2022
Godding Ditch
4
40
2024
Total
308
2020-2050 Water Action Plan Page 24
SECTION 6: FUTURE WATER SUPPLIES AND FACILITIES
The Town has a variety of planned water supplies and infrastructure projects to meet raw water and treated water
demands over the next 30 years. This section describes the water rights, water sources, and infrastructure included in
the 2020-2050 Water Action Plan,
6.1 CHANGE OF WATER RIGHTS AND PLAN FOR AUGMENTATION
The Town filed Case No.19CW3236, a change of water rights and plan for augmentation, in the Division 1 Water Court
in December 2019. The water court application is complex; some of the major elements of the application include:
• A change of type of use and location of use of water rights based on shares of New Consolidated Lower
Boulder Reservoir and Ditch Company (LBDC) and the Rural Ditch, for water that was historically used on
lands that have been developed within and around Firestone.
• A change of storage right for the Firestone Reservoir No. 1.
• A claim for junior water rights for
1) Diversion from Boulder Creek and St. Vrain Creek through existing ditches, for storage in the
Firestone Reservoir No. 1, which is constructed but not fully operational; and
2) Diversion from Boulder Creek for storage in Central Park Reservoir, which is planned but not
constructed; and
3) Diversion from St. Vrain Creek for all municipal uses, including storage.
• A plan for augmenting or replacing out -of -priority pumping from:
1) The Gould Well and two other planned wellfields; and
2) Wells designed to provide irrigation water, at Mountain Shadows Park, for example.
• An exchange on St. Vrain Creek, from the St. Vrain Sanitation District outfall upstream to the Gould Well and
St. Vrain Creek diversion.
• A claim to recharge the alluvial aquifer in the vicinity of the Gould Well.
6.2 RAW WATER DELIVERY
6.2.1 Wells and Wellfields
The Town is planning to construct several wells and wellfields to supply the non -potable irrigation system and the
SVWA treatment plant. These wells will all be developed into the St. Vrain Creek alluvial aquifer; all of the wells will
need to operate under the terms of a plan for augmentation to replace depletions to St. Vrain Creek or its tributaries.
2020-2050 Water Action Plan Page 25
6.2.1.1 Gould Well
The first well that the Town is developing to collect and divert alluvial ground water is located on the parcel that the
Town purchased from the Gould family, which is at the northeast corner of Colorado Boulevard and Zinnia Avenue in
Section 31, Township 3 North, Range 67 West (T3N R67W). This well is in the final design phase and is anticipated
to be constructed in 2020.
The water rights claim for this well field is for 21400 gpm, or 5.35 cubic feet per second.
6.2.1.2 Other Future Wellfields
The Town is anticipating the need for more than one additional alluvial wellfield to supply the SVWA treatment plant,
At this time it is assumed that the next wellfield will be located on ground owned by the St. Vrain Sanitation District, in
Section 31, Township 3 North, Range 67 West. This wellfield is anticipated to be constructed in about year 2032.
In addition, wellfield sites have been identified on the Varra Property in Section 31, T3N R67W and at the Firestone
Trail where it intersects Zinnia Avenue in Section 6, T3N R67W. This plan assumes that both of these wellfields will
be developed before 2050.
The water rights claim for the St. Vrain Sanitation District well field and the Varra wellfield are each for a pumping rate
of 2,400 gpm, or 5.35 cubic feet per second. The Firestone Trail Wellfield water right claim is for 1,800 gpm, or 4.01
cubic feet per second.
6.2.2 Mountain Shadows Non -Potable Irrigation Well
The Mountain Shadows well has been developed within the Mountain Shadows Park in Section 1, T2N R68W. This
well is anticipated to be completed and ready to irrigate the park in 2021. If the non -potable irrigation system at Mountain
Shadows Park is ready to be used before the augmentation plan has been decreed, the Town will apply for a temporary
substitute water supply plan with the State Engineers Office in Division 1.
The water rights claim for this well is for a pumping rate of 800 gpm, or 1.78 cubic feet per second.
6.2.3 NISP pipeline
The pipeline that will deliver water from the NISP project to users located south of Highway 66 is currently planned to
run parallel to Weld County Road 13 (which becomes Colorado Boulevard in the Town of Firestone), and terminates
at Highway 66. This location is two miles due north of Zinnia Avenue where the SVWA treatment plant will be located.
This pipeline is not anticipated to be constructed until about 2028.
The Town currently anticipates average annual deliveries of 1,300 acre-feet from the NISP pipeline.
6.2.4 St. Vrain Creek Diversion
The Town's 2019 water rights application includes a junior water right to divert water into the Firestone -St. Vrain Pump
Station, located at a point on the St. Vrain Creek approximately one-half mile due north of the SVWA treatment plant.
That diversion is anticipated to be constructed in about 2032, perhaps before the second alluvial wellfield is constructed.
The water rights claim for the St. Vrain Creek diversion is for a pumping rate of 2,400 gpm, or 5.35 cubic feet per
second.
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
6.3 RAW WATER STORAGE
6.3.1 Firestone Reservoir No. 1
Page 26
The Firestone Reservoir No. 1, located south of Zinnia Avenue in Section 6 T2N R67W, was purchased in 2017, and
is expected to be fully operational by 2021. This reservoir will be used to store water derived from the change of water
rights and junior water rights claimed by the Town in the Case No. 19CW3236 application. The capacity of Firestone
Reservoir No. 1 is estimated at 1,218,E acre-feet.
Water will be delivered from Firestone Reservoir No. 1 to;
1) the Town's non -potable irrigation system, and
2) the St. Vrain Creek to make return flow deliveries in accordance with terms and conditions that will be in
the Case No. 19CW3236 decree.
6.3.2 Firestone Reservoir No. 2 (Brooks Pit)
The Town has an option to purchase the Brooks Farm Water Storage Reservoir when the LG Everist Company has
completed mining operations. This reservoir has an estimated capacity of 800 acre-feet. Mining is expected to be
completed within the next 3 to 5 years. The current plan is for this reservoir to be operated in a similar manner to
Firestone Reservoir No. 1.
6.3.3 Central Park Reservoir
The Town's non -potable irrigation system plan includes development of a reservoir in Central Park in Firestone; this
reservoir will be able to be filled from the Coal Ridge Ditch or from Firestone Reservoir No, 1. The capacity planned for
the Central Park Reservoir is 100 acre-feet, and it is expected to be built in about 2028.
6.3.4 Other potential storage
6.3.4.1 Dry Creek
The Town has communicated with the Little Thompson Water District and Central Weld to express interest in
purchasing up to 500 acre-feet of storage in a proposed expansion of the existing Dry Creek Reservoir, which is located
in Larimer County, near Carter Lake. The Town does not have an expected date for acquiring this storage.
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
6.4 POTENTIAL NEW WATER SUPPLIES
6.4.1 Native St. Vrain Creek Water
Page 27
The Town is actively looking to acquire senior water rights from ditches in the St. Vrain Creek basin that historically
irrigated lands within and around the Town of Firestone development area or Town boundaries. The Town is focusing
on shares that irrigated parcels in locations that have already developed or will be developed, and that are located
such that the Town can easily deliver historical return flows to required locations.
These ditches include:
• Lower Boulder Ditch, which diverts from Boulder Creek;
• Godding Ditch (also known as the Highland/Southside Ditch), which diverts from Idaho Creek, which diverts
from Boulder Creek;
• New Coal Ridge Ditch, which is an extension of the Lower Boulder Ditch;
• Rural Ditch, which diverts from Boulder Creek; and
• Last Chance Ditch, which diverts from St. Vrain Creek,
The Town already owns shares in the Lower Boulder Ditch, the Rural Ditch and the Godding Ditch. Shares in the Lower
Boulder Ditch and the Rural Ditch have been included in Case No. 19CW3236.
6.4.1.1 Potential for Water Dedication of Native Water Rights
The Town's current raw water dedication policy requires that developers transfer sufficient water rights to the Town to
meet the requirements of the proposed development. At this time, C-BT units or Windy Gap shares are the only raw
water source that may be used to satisfy dedication requirements. The raw water dedication process is codified in
Chapter 13 of the Firestone Municipal code.
In addition, the Town Board of Trustees can allow credits for other water rights by approving a written agreement with
a developer. Because the Firestone Reservoir No. 1 can store raw water from St. Vrain Creek sources, and because
the SVWA treatment plant is being designed to treat St. Vrain Creek water supplies, the Town is currently discussing
this raw water dedication agreement alternative with developers. An agreement with one or more developers may be
completed in 2020 or 2021, for delivery of treated water after 2022. Each agreement will be unique to each development
because the terms related to credit for the water rights and requirements of each development will be specific to the
land use supported and to the water rights transferred. At this time the Town does not have an estimate of when it
might complete a native water dedication agreement.
6.4.2 Right of First Refusal
Annexation agreements that have been approved by the Town include a provision that if the developer receives a bona
fide offer to sell senior irrigation water that was historically used on the lands that were annexed, then the developer
must offer a right of first refusal to the Town to match the terms of the offer.
The Town is planning to exercise such purchase opportunities when they will allow the acquisition of water rights that
can be used by the Town, At this time there are no estimates of when a right of first refusal might be exercised.
2020-2050 Water Action Plan Page 28
6.4.3 Northern Integrated Supply Project
The Town is a participant in the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP). This project is an enterprise of the Northern
Colorado Water Conservancy District. This project is designed to deliver about 40,000 acre-feet of Cache la Poudre
River and South Platte River water annually to the participants. Firestone has subscribed to 1,300 acre-feet of this
supply.
NISP is in the final stages of a 15-year environmental permitting process. Current projections are for construction of
the diversion structures, dams and reservoirs, and pipelines to be completed by 2028. This Action Plan assumes that
NISP water will be delivered to Highway 66 and Colorado Boulevard, and that the Town will construct a two mile
pipeline to deliver the water to the SVWA water treatment plant at Colorado Boulevard and Zinnia Avenue. This plan
assumes that treated water will be deliverable to the Town in 2030.
The current cost estimate for the NISP project is $1.2 billion, or $30,000 per acre-foot. The 1,300 acre-feet that the
Town is committed to purchase represents $39 million that will be spent between now and 2030.
The 40,000 acre-feet yield of NISP project is fully subscribed at this time. However, there have been some transfers of
ownership between participants in the past few years, and we expect that there will be opportunities for the Town to
acquire more NISP water between now and 2030. Like other water supply projects, we also expect that once NISP is
fully operational there will be very few, if any, opportunities to acquire more yield from the project.
6.4.4 Windy Gap Return Flow Credits
The Town anticipates that about 50 percent of Windy Gap water that is delivered to water meters in Firestone will
become reusable return flow credits that can be exchanged from the St. Vrain Sanitation District outfall into St. Vrain
Creek to a Town diversion structure or used to augment out -of -priority pumping from a well or wellfield.
Windy Gap return flows that are returned to St. Vrain Creek from the St. Vrain Sanitation District wastewater treatment
plant will be accounted for so that they can become augmentation supply credits. A like amount of water may be
pumped from the Gould Well, for delivery to the SVWA treatment plant. These credits are assumed to create
somewhere between about 110 acre-feet and 190 acre-feet of future supply at the Gould wellfield once Case No.
19CW3236 is decreed. For purposes of this plan we are assuming that 125 acre-feet of Windy Gap return flow credits
will be available when the Town is using 250 acre-feet of Windy Gap water.
The Town is planning on that water being available in 2022.
The Town has had conversations with other water providers who own Windy Gap source water and who also discharge
reusable Windy Gap return flow credits into tributaries of St. Vrain Creek or directly into St. Vrain Creek. The Town
would consider acquiring a lease or purchasing Windy Gap return flow credits as a new source of water. The Town
does not have an expected date for acquiring water from Windy Gap return flow credits.
6.4.5 NISP Return Flow Credits
The Town anticipates that a portion of the NISP water that is delivered to the Town will generate return flow credits.
Depending on delivery schedules, the amount of estimated return flow credits will be somewhere in the range of 15 to
38 percent of NISP deliveries. For purposes of this plan we are assuming that 325 acre-feet of NISP return flow credits
will be available when the Town is using 1,300 acre-feet of NISP water.
The Town plans to approach water providers who will have NISP source water and that may discharge reusable return
flow credits into tributaries of St. Vrain Creek, or directly into St. Vrain Creek, about possible leases or purchase of
2020-2050 Water Action Plan Page 29
NISP reusable return flow credits. These discussions are not planned until the NISP project is closer to delivering water,
probably in 2028 or later.
6.5 ESTIMATES OF ADDITIONAL WATER NEEDED FOR DELIVERY TO SVWA
TREATMENT PLANT
The 2020-2050 Water Action Plan assumes that the Town is not able to acquire additional Windy Gap or C-BT water
for delivery to the Carter Lake Filter Plant. It is assumed that the SVWA Treatment Plant will be required to meet all
new treated water demands between 2020 and 2030. This means that the SVWA Treatment Plant will have to rely on
native St. Vrain Creek sources, at least until NISP water is available.
Table 18 shows the estimated amount of additional native water needed for delivery to the SVWA Treatment Plant to
meet treated water demands in 2030. The table reflects the "at the meter" demand shown in Table 12, and then adds
the three percent distribution system loss and the 10 percent treatment system loss to arrive at the amount of water
needed to deliver to the SVWA Treatment Plant.
Table 18
Estimated Additional Annual Native Water Needed,
2016-2030 to Meet 2030 Demands
AF at the
AF at Master
AF at SVWA
Individual
meter
(Raw Water)
meter
2030 New
11728
11782
1,960
Demand
WG Return Flow
110
114
125
Credits
Native Water
11618
11668
1,835
Needed
This plan assumed that the Town will be taking up to 1,300 acre-feet per year of NISP water after about year 2030.
Table 19 shows the estimated amount of additional water needed between 2030 and 2050. The table includes the new
demand from Table 15, and an estimated 325 acre-feet of NISP return flow credits available at the Town's wellfields.
The table reflects the 10 percent treatment system loss and the three percent distribution system loss in delivering
water to the individual meters.
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Page 30
To calculate the amount of additional water needed, Table 19 includes water from NISP and credits from NISP return
flow as supplies that will be available to meet the year 2050 demands.
Estimated Additional Annual Native Water or NISP Water Needed,
2031-2050 to Meet 2050 Demands
AF at the
AF at Master
AF at SVWA
Individual
meter
(Raw Water)
meter
2050 New
21312
21384
21622
Demand
NISP
11146
11182
11300
NISP return flows
287
295
325
Native Water or
NISP Water
879
907
997
Needed
2020-2050 Water Action Plan Page 31
SECTION 7: PROJECTED COSTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2020-2050
WATER ACTION PLAN
This section details the estimated costs of the individual projects planned for implementation of the 2020-2050
Water Action Plan with more information about the individual elements. Estimates of the cash or debt financing
required for the individual line items are also presented.
Figure 12 shows the location of some of the major elements of the plan, including the SVWA Treatment Plant and
injection well sites, as well as Firestone's Gould Well site, Brooks Pit and Firestone Reservoir No. 1.
mot
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It
St. Vraln Creek
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_.Well Site
lot
Zinnia AVe. -
r - VL
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i
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2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Page 33
Table 20 shows the estimated costs of acquiring the water sources and developing the treatment and delivery systems
to meet projected demands to support growth between 2020 and 2050. Costs of financing are not included in the values
below. This table shows the elements of the plan that are anticipated during the 2020-2050 time period.
Table 20
Estimated Costs for 5 MGD Water Supply, 2019 Dollars
PROJECT
ESTIMATED
COST
YEAR FUNDS
NEEDED
CASH or
OTHER-
DEBT
FINANCED
Alluvial Wells
Gould Alluvial Well (Phase 1)
$4,100,000
2020
$4,1003000
Mountain Shadows Park Irrigation Well
$253,000
2020
$253,000
Gould Alluvial Well (Phase 2)
$1,000,000
2027
$1,000,000
Alluvial Well Site No. 2
$53100,000
2032
$5,100,000
Alluvial Well Site No. 3
$5,100,000
2048
$5,100,000
Other Source Water
Windy Gap
$10,000,000
2020
$10,000,000
Windy Gap Reuse
2022
NISP
$39,000,000
2023
$391000,000
NISP Reuse
2030
St Wain Creek Diversion
$3,2003000
2032
$3,2001000
Au mentation Infrastructure and Water Sources
$11,650,000
2020
$11,650,000
Firestone Reservoir No. 1
Firestone Reservoir No. 2
$4,150,000
2023
$4,1502000
Reservoir No. 2 Plumbing
$4,970,000
2024
$4,9701000
Native Water Rights
$8,350,000
2022
$8,350,000
Native Water Rights
$10,000,000
2027
$10,000,000
Native Water Rights
$9,970,000
2032
$9,970,000
1.5 MGD WTP (Phase 1a) $27,850,000 2020 $27,850,000
2.25 MGD WTP (Phase 1b) $1,000,000 2030 $1,000,000
5 MGD WTP (Phase 2) $12,000,000 2041 $12,000,000
i
lines and Tanks
Blend Pipeline (Phase 1) $3,990,000 2020 $3,990,000
1.5 MG Elevated Tank $4,5391000 2024 $4,539,000
Blend Pipeline (Phase 2) $5,130,000 2026 $53130,000
NISP Pipeline $2,510;000 2028 $2,510,000
Potable Irrigation
Phase 1 Irrigation System $1,120,000 2021 $13120,000
Mountain Shadows Park Irrigation Well $253,000 2020 $253,000
Native Water Rights (Phase 1) $1,500,000 2020 $1,500,000
Phase 2 Irrigation System $2,000,000 2023 $2,000,000
'Central Park Reservoir and Supply 1 $40891,000 1 2028 1 41891,000
Total Estimated Cost for 5 MGD Water Supply $1835626,000 $27,2507000 $15633769000
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Page 34
7.1 CENTRAL WELD CARTER LAKE FILTER PLANT
In this action plan, the Town assumes that Central Weld will continue to treat all of the Town's C-BT and Windy Gap
supplies at the Carter Lake Filter Plant, This supply currently totals about 3,200 acre-feet per year, as shown in Table
16.
Raw water delivered by NISP may eventually be treated by either Central Weld or SVWA. To the Town's knowledge
neither entity has yet developed a definite plan for treating NISP water, The Town does not anticipate making a decision
on this until after 2022. For planning purposes, this action plan assumes that NISP water will be treated by the SVWA.
This action plan assumes there is no expansion of the existing treatment or distribution system that is used to deliver
water from the Carter Lake Filter Plant to the Town of Firestone.
7.2 OTHER SOURCE WATER —WINDY GAP AND NISP
The Town has acquired five units of Windy Gap project water, and is subscribed to the NISP project for an annual
supply of 1,300 acre-feet. Return flow credits from Windy Gap are estimated at 125 acre-feet per year and return flow
credits from NISP are estimated at 325 acre-feet per year.
Table 21 shows the estimated cost and year that funds are needed for these water sources. The $10,000,000 of cost
listed for Windy Gap in 2020 was paid by the Town with cash. This table also shows the dates when the Windy Gap
and NISP return flow credits are anticipated to be available to the Town.
Cash and Debt Financing Needs
Other Water Sources
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7.3 ALLUVIAL WELL SYSTEMS
The Town is developing an alluvial well system on the Gould parcel that will pump groundwater from the St. Vrain
Creek alluvium for delivery to the SVWA treatment plant. The horizontal well that will be installed on the Gould property
is in the final design and permitting stage, and is expected to be installed in 2020 and then expanded by 2027.
One additional alluvial wellfield is planned for installation in about 2032, with a third wellfield to be installed in about
2048. An additional wellfield may be required after 2050. An alternative to one or more of these wellfields is a direct
diversion from the St. Vrain Creek at the Firestone -St. Vrain Pump Station. For budgeting purposes, only the alluvial
wellfields are shown in the cost table below. Table 22 shows the estimated cost and the year that funds are needed for
the alluvial wellfield systems.
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Table 22
Cash and Debt Financing Needs
Alluvial Well Systems
Page 35
Pf30J,ECT
CO'sT
M .fib
07W ig,
PINAN�_ fib:
Alluvial Wells
Gould Alluvial Well (Phase 1)
$4,100,000
2020
$4,100,000
Mountain Shadows Park Irrigation Well
$253,000
2020
$253,000
Gould Alluvial Well (Phase 2)
$1,0001000
2027
$13000,000
Alluvial Well Site No. 2
$53100,000
2032
$5,100,000
Alluvial Well Site No. 3
$5,100,000
2048
$53100,000
Total Alluvial Wells
$15,5535000
1
1 $431003000
$112453,000
7.4 AUGMENTATION INFRASTRUCTURE AND WATER SOURCES
The Town is developing the Firestone Reservoir No. 1 as anon -potable irrigation reservoir and an augmentation
reservoir. In addition to being operated to support the non -potable irrigation system it will serve to replace return flows
required as part of the change case and facilitate necessary replacements under the augmentation plan. Under the
terms of the change case and augmentation plan the reservoir will make releases to St. Vrain Creek to replace historical
return flows from native water rights that have been changed to municipal uses. It will also be used to deliver water to
St. Vrain Creek to augment out -of -priority pumping from the irrigation wells and the alluvial wells that will feed the St.
Vrain Water Authority Treatment Plant.
The Town has an option to purchase the Brooks Pit, located next to Firestone Reservoir No. 1. The mining operation
at the Brooks Pit is expected to be completed in the next three to five years. The Town is projecting that it will purchase
the Brooks Pit in 2023 and it will add the infrastructure to convert it to Firestone Reservoir No. 2 in 2024.
The Town is planning to purchase native St. Vrain Creek water rights to be used to increase the amount of
augmentation water available to the Town. A total of $28,320,000 is allocated for the acquisition of 2,832 acre-feet of
native supplies. Those water rights will be changed in water court, and the water from those native sources will be
delivered to the Town's reservoirs for operation of the augmentation plan,
2020-2050 Water Action Plan Page 36
Table 23 shows the estimated cost and the year that funds are needed for the augmentation sources and projects.
Costs labeled as cash or other were funded by the Town prior to 2020,
Table 23
Cash and Debt Financing Needs
Augmentation Infrastructure and Water Sources
PROJECT
ESTIMATED
COST
YEAR FUNDS
NEEDED
CASH or
OTHER
DEBT
FINANCED
Au mentation Infrastructure and Water Sources
Firestone Reservoir No. 1
$11,6503000
2020
$11,6503000
Firestone Reservoir No. 2
$4,1503000
2023
$4,150,000
Reservoir No. 2 Plumbing
$4,9703000
2024
$43970,000
Native Water Rights
$8,350,000
2022
$833502000
Native Water Rights
$1030003000
2027
$101000,000
Native Water Rights
$9,9703000
2032
$9,970,000
Total Alluvial Wells
$49,0905000
1
$11,650,000
$37,4403000
7.5 NON -POTABLE IRRIGATION SYSTEM
The Town has purchased water rights and facilities to begin the development of a non -potable system for irrigation of
parks and other open space areas.
The Town purchased shares in the Lower Boulder Ditch Company and the Rural Ditch Company to support the non -
potable irrigation system demands. These shares were cash purchased prior to 2020.
The irrigation well installation in the Mountain Shadows Park is scheduled for completion in 2020.
The first phase of the distribution system to deliver non -potable water from Firestone Reservoir No. 1 to other parks is
planned for 2021. The irrigation system is scheduled to expand by installing additional delivery pipeline in 2023. The
non -potable irrigation system is also scheduled to add an additional 100 acre-feet of storage at the Central Park
Reservoir in about 2028 to continue the implementation of the plan.
Table 24 shows the estimated costs and financing needs for the non -potable irrigation system.
Table 24
Cash and Debt Financing Needs
Non -Potable Irrigation System
. 7Ea
1fSAO! 2
CA�w or
-
-
Non -Potable Irrigation
Phase 1 Irrigation System
$1,120,000
2021
$1,120,000
Mountain Shadows Park Irrigation Well
$2531000
2020
$2531000
Native Water Rights (Phase 1)
$1,500,000
2020
$1,500,000
Phase 2 Irrigation System
$2,0001000
2023
$2,000,000
Central Park Reservoir and Supply
$4,891,000
2028
$4,891,000
Total Non -Potable System
$9,764,000
$1,500,000
$8,264,000
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Page 37
7.6 ST. VRAIN WATER AUTHORITY WATER TREATMENT PLANT
The SVWA treatment plant is in the final design and permitting stage; construction is expected to start in the 3rd quarter
of 2020, Firestone is paying for all of the SVWA facilities, and will contribute the facilities in -kind instead of paying a
plant investment fee.
The treatment plant will contain pre-treatment, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis filtration and disinfection technologies,
along with all the required tanks, pumps, and other infrastructure necessary to operate the plant.
The treatment plant technologies were selected so that the plant may treat St. Vrain Creek alluvial ground water
sources or St. Vrain Creek surface water sources. The current plan is to use alluvial ground water sources in the first
phase of the treatment plant operation.
The water treatment plant is being designed to facilitate expansion to an ultimate capacity of 5 million gallons per day
(MGD). It will be developed in phases that allow capacity to expand as the population and water demand grows. Phase
1a will construct treatment capacity of 1.5 MGD. The entire Phase 1a capacity is currently dedicated to Firestone's
needs. The SVWA plant capacity will be expanded to 2.25 MGD in Phase 1 b. Phase 2 will add facilities to reach the
total 5 MGD capacity.
Table 25
Cash and Debt Financing Needs
Water Treatment Plant and Delivery System
PROJECT
ESTIMATED
COST
YEAR FUNDS
NEEDED
CASH or
OTHER
DEBT
FINANCED
Water Treatment
1.5 MGD WTP (Phase 1a)
$27,850,000
2020
$27,850,000
2.25 MGD WTP (Phase 1b)
$1,000,000
2030
$10000,000
5 MGD WTP (Phase 2)
$12,000,000
2041
$12,000,000
Total Water Treatment
$40,8507000
$0
$403850,000
7.7 PIPELINES AND TANKS
The delivery system and storage needed to distribute treated water from the SVWA treatment plant to the Town of
Firestone includes a "blend pipeline" to connect to the lower water pressure zones near the treatment plant, to be built
at the beginning of Phase 1 in 2020, As daily water demands grow, a new 1.5 million gallon treated water storage tank
and the pipeline to deliver treated water to the storage tank will be constructed. Storage tank construction and extension
of the pipeline to serve the new tank are expected to occur in 2024 and 2026, respectively.
In addition to the above treated water facilities, a raw water pipeline is planned to deliver NISP water from the NISP
pipeline terminus at County Road 13 and Highway 66 to the St. Vrain Water Authority plant. Current planning is to
install the NISP raw water pipeline in 2028.
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Page 38
Table 26 shows the estimated costs for pipelines and the treated water storage tank.
Table 26
Cash and Debt Financing Needs
Pipelines and Tanks
PROJECT
ESTIMATED
COST
YEAR FUNDS
NEEDED
CASH or
OTHER
DEBT
FINANCED
Pipelines and Tanks
Blend Pipeline (Phase 1)
$3,990,000
2020
$3,990,000
1,5 MG Elevated Tank
$4,5393000
2024
$4,539,000
Blend Pipeline (Phase 2)
$5,1301000
2026
$5,130,000
NISP Pipeline
$2,510,000
2028
$2,510,000
Total Pipelines and Tanks
$1671693000
$0
$16,169,000
7.8 SUMMARY OF PROJECT COSTS BY PROJECT TYPE
Table 27 summarizes the cost and financing needs for the 2020-2050 period, by project type,
Table 27
Cash and Debt Financing Needs
Summary of Project Costs by Project Type
PROJECT TYPE
ESTIMATED
COST
CASH or
OTHER
DEBT
FINANCED
Other Source Water
$52,200,000
$10,000,000
$42,2003000
Alluvial Wells
$15,5533000
$431003000
$11,453,000
Augmentation Infrastructure and Water Sources
$49,090,000
$113650,000
$37,4409000
Non -Potable Irrigation
$93764,000
$11500,000
$8,264,000
Water Treatment
$40,850,000
$0
$40,850,000
Pipelines and Tanks
$16,169,000
$0
$16,169,000
Total Costs 2020=2050
$183,626,000
$27,2503000
$156,3761000
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Page 39
SECTION 0. PHASED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2020-2050 WATER ACTION
PLAN
The current plans for phasing the development of the Firestone water system, based on total SVWA treatment plant
capacity and time frame of development is:
Phase 1a: 1.5 MGD treatment capacity, funding and construction in years 2020-2024;
Phase 1b: 2.25 MGD treatment capacity, funding and construction in years 2025-2030; and
Phase 2: 5 MGD treatment capacity, funding and construction in years 2031-2050.
8.1 2020-2024: PHASE la
Phase 1a will generally consist of:
• Purchasing and developing the infrastructure for Firestone Reservoir No. 1;
• Purchasing five units of Windy Gap water;
• Purchasing native St. Vrain Creek water rights to support non -potable irrigation and future augmentation
needs;
• Building the alluvial well system to irrigate Mountain Shadows Park;
• Building the first phases of the non -potable irrigation delivery system;
• Building the 1.5 MGD St. Vrain Water Authority Treatment Plant;
• Building the Gould alluvial horizontal well;
• Building the pipeline to deliver treated water from the plant;
• Purchasing and developing the infrastructure for Firestone Reservoir No. 2;
• Funding the NISP project at the 1,300 acre-feet subscription level;
• Building the pipeline to deliver water to the 1.5 million gallon tank; and
• Building the 1.5 million gallon treated water storage tank.
The first phase of the treatment plant is being designed to produce 1.5 MGD. The estimated cost of the 1.5 MGD Phase
1a water treatment plant is about $27.9 million, which includes land, the treatment plant, and a deep injection well to
dispose of reverse osmosis reject water. The Phase 1 a treatment plant is designed to support a growth in population
of about 8,000 people,
The native water rights that will be acquired in Phase I will be included in an augmentation plan that will enable the
wells that supply the non -potable irrigation system and the SVWA treatment plant to divert groundwater from the St.
Vrain Creek alluvial aquifer. In addition, reusable return flow credits from Windy Gap and other sources of water that
are fully consumable will be included in the augmentation plan. These sources will allow decreed augmentation credits
to offset depletions to St. Vrain Creek caused by pumping of alluvial groundwater from the wells, which are junior (2019)
water rights.
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Page 40
Table 28 summarizes the cash and debt financing needs for Phase 1a in 2020 through 2022 and Table 29 summarizes
the needs for Phase I in 2023-2024.
Table 28
Cash and Debt Financing Needs
Phase 1a Project Costs 2020-2022
PROJECT
ESTIMATED
COST
YEAR FUNDS
NEEDED
CASH or
OTHER
DEBT
FINANCED
2020-w2022
Gould Alluvial Well (Phase 1)
$4,1001000
2020
$4,100,000
Mountain Shadows Park Irrigation Well
$253,000
2020
$253,000
Windy Gap
$103000,000
2020
$10,000,000
Firestone Reservoir No. 1
$113650,000
2020
$11,6503000
1.5 MGD WTP (Phase 1a)
$273850,000
2020
$27,850,000
Blend Pipeline (Phase 1)
$339902000
2020
$3,990,000
Mountain Shadows Park Irrigation Well
$253,000
2020
$253,000
Native Water Rights (Phase 1)
$1,500,000
2020
$13500,000
Phase 1 Irrigation System
$1,120,000
2021
$1,1202000
Windy Gap Reuse
2022
Native Water Rights
$8,350,000
2022
$8,350,000
Total Costs 2020-2022
$69,0663000
1
$27,250,000
$41,816,000
Table 29
Cash and Debt Financing Needs
Phase 1a Project Costs 2023-2024
PROJECT
ESTIMATED
COST
YEAR FUNDS
NEEDED
CASH or
OTHER
DEBT
FINANCED
2023--2024
NISP
$39,000,000
2023
$39,000,000
Firestone Reservoir No. 2
$4,150,000
2023
$4,150,000
Phase 2 Irrigation System
$2,000,000
2023
$2,000,000
Reservoir No. 2 Plumbing
$41970,000
2024
$4,970,000
1.5 MG Elevated Tank
$4,5391000
2024
$4,539,000
Total Costs 2020-2022
$5456599000
$0
1 $54,659,000
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
Page 41
8.2 2025--2030: PHASE ID
Phase 1b will include:
• Extension of the treated water pipeline from the SVWA treatment plant to the new storage tank;
• Expansion of the Gould alluvial horizontal well;
• Purchase of additional native water rights;
• Construction of the raw water pipeline to deliver NISP water to the SVWA treatment plant;
• Construction of Central Park Reservoir; and
• Addition of filter elements within the treatment plant to expand the capacity to 2.25 MGD.
The 0.75 MGD capacity expansion of capacity is expected to serve a growth in population of about 4,000 people.
As mentioned above, NISP water is assumed to be delivered to the SVWA treatment plant for treatment. The final
decision about where Firestone's NISP water will be treated is not expected to be finalized until after 2022; this plan
assumes construction of the pipeline to deliver NISP raw water to the SVWA during Phase 1 b.
The native water rights acquired in Phase 1 b will be included in the Town's augmentation plan to allow additional
pumping from the Gould well and future wellfields.
Table 30 summarizes the cash and debt financing needs for Phase 1 b.
Table 30
Cash and Debt Financing Needs
Phase 1 b Project Costs 2023-2030
2025--2030
Blend Pipeline (Phase 2)
$59130,000
2026
$53130,000
Gould Alluvial Well (Phase 2)
$1,000,000
2027
$1,000,000
Native Water Rights
$10,000,000
2027
$10,000,000
NISP Pipeline
$2,510,000
2028
$23510,000
Central Park Reservoir and Supply
$4,8913000
2028
$43891,000
2.25 MGD WTP (Phase 1b)
$1,0003000
2030
$1,0001000
Total Costs 2025-20230
$243531,000
$0
$24,5312000
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
8.3 2031--4uju: PHASE 2
Phase 2 will include:
• Addition of two new alluvial wellfields to supply raw water to the SVWA Treatment Plant;
• Expansion of the treatment plant to a total capacity of 5.0 MGD;
• Construction of the St. Vrain Creek diversion and pump station; and
• Purchase of additional native water rights.
Page 42
The 2.75 MGD capacity expansion of capacity is expected to serve a growth in population of about 15,000 people.
The native water rights acquired in Phase 2 will be included in the Town's augmentation plan to allow additional
pumping from the Gould well and future wells.
Table 31
Cash and Debt Financing Needs
Phase 2 Project Costs 2031-2050
— ��
i :��ib��P\irLu � �rl I�11<U(J'n'�o�J � U'7r�G: •.���r "_
Alluvial Well Site No,
11 111
��—
11 111
St Vrain Creek •
11 111
11 111
'Native Water Rights
• • 1 111
" • 1 111
(Phase
111 111
111 111
Alluvial •
11 111
11 111
Total• 11 1
1 111
'1
1 111.
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
SECTION 9: SINGLE FAMILY EQUIVALENT TAPS
Page 43
When the Town can sell water taps for users in the Firestone service area that will be served treated water from the
SVWA water treatment plant, all of those tap fees will be used to support future projects or payment of debt.
Table 32, below (based on data in Tables 12 and 14) shows the amount of new raw water supply needed for mixed
use, commercial and residential uses —all uses except irrigation of parks and open space. The far right column in Table
31 shows the estimated number of equivalent single family residential taps (at 0.6 acre-feet per tap) that can be
supported by the amount of raw water that will be acquired for delivery to the treatment plant and available to support
commercial and residential uses.
Table 32
Mixed Use, Commercial and Residential Water Demand
and Estimated Single Family Equivalent Taps
Equivalent
At the Meter,
At the Master
To Treatment
Time Period
Single Family
AF
Meter, AF
Plant, AF
Taps
2016--2030
11645
1,695
11865
3,108
2031--2050
21200
2,269
2,495
41159
2016--2050
3,845
3,964
4,360
7,267
The new raw water supplies that will support treated water delivery total about 4,360 acre-feet in Phases 1 a, Phase 1 b
and Phase 2. This supply will support the equivalent of about 1,270 single family equivalent water taps.
The Town will conduct a rate and fee analysis in 2021 to evaluate a revision to the current tap fee structure and the
water dedication requirement. The Town will likely develop acash-in-lieu of water dedication option as well,
2020-2050 Water Action Plan
SECTION lum REFERENCES
Links to reference materials available on Firestone website:
2010 Potable Water Master Plan
https://www.firestoneco.govlDocumentCenterNiewl47/Potable-Water-Master-Plan?bidld=
2010 Raw Water Irrigation System Master Plan
https://www.firestoneco.govlDocumentCenterNiew/48/Raw-Water-Irrigation-System-Master-
Plan?bidld=
Page 44
2015 Water Efficiency Master Plan
https://www.firestoneco.qov/DocumentCenterNiew/2033/Firestone-MWEP=Update-Report-v1=28-
2015?bidld=
2018 Lantl Use Map
https://www.fi restoneco.qov/DocumentCenterNiew/51 /Land-Use-Map?bid Id=
2018 Zoning Map
https://www.firestoneco.qov/DocumentCenterNiew/52/Zoning-Map?bidld=
2019 Growth Boundary
https:llwww.firestoneco.govlDocumentCenterNiewl2601 /Firestone-Growth-Boundary-Map?bid ld=
2018 Water Rate Study
https://www.firestoneco.govlDocumentCenterNiewlo482/2018-Water-Rate-Study-Update
Links to reference sources:
NCWCD Resolution D-962-02-95
https://www.northernwater.org/docs/Allotteelnfo/LimitatlonsOnOwnershlp1995D9620295 pdf
NCWCD C-BT
https://www, northernwater.org/WaterProiects/C-BTProiect.aspx
NCWCD NISP
https://www.northernwater.orglWaterProiects/N ISP.aspx/
State Demography Office population data
https://demography.dola.colorado.gov/population/