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Cherry Creek Aquifer Modeling Project
Client: Arapahoe County Water and Wastewater Authority, Pinery, Parker Water and Sanitation District, Stonegate Water and Sanitation District, Cottonwood Water and Sanitation District, Inverness Water and Sanitation District, East Cherry Creek Valley Water and Sanitation District, City of Aurora, and Colorado Division of Parks
Water Supply Planning and Development - Water Rights Operations Modeling
SWE is part of a multidiscipline team of engineers, hydrologists, and hydrogeologists collaborating on a joint modeling project to (a) develop data and models to improve understanding of the surface water and ground water resources of the Cherry Creek basin, (b) identify ways to optimize and maximize utilization of the available water resources, and (c) facilitate resolution of present and future conflicts between water users. The work is being performed for the participants of the project, as listed above.

SWE developed a model ("CCAMP Operations Model") that simulates the water supply operations of the Parties in the Franktown to Cherry Creek Reservoir reach of Cherry Creek. The CCAMP Operations Model simulates the use of tributary water supplies, Denver Basin ground water, and the operation of the water rights and augmentation plans of the Parties to meet specified water demands under varying hydrologic conditions and changing downstream priority calls. The CCAMP Operations Model has been subsequently used to simulate current and future water use scenarios by the Parties, including the effect of optimizing facilities and levels of cooperation between the Parties.

The Model simulates a study period from 1996 though 2005 using a weekly time-step. The operations of each municipal supplier are simulated so as to generally maximize the alluvial ground water use subject to alluvial well capacity constraints and the availability of augmentation water supplies to replace out-of-priority stream depletions from pumping. Demands are supplied by a combination of alluvial well and nontributary Denver Basin pumping, as determined by available augmentation supplies and limited by decreed annual Denver Basin entitlements and well capacity. The Model can also be operated to simulate imported renewable water supplies to supplement the available tributary supplies, and to reduce reliance on Denver Basin well pumping.
 
 
Water Supply Planning and Development 

Spronk Water Engineers, Inc.
1000 N Logan Street
Denver, Colorado, 80203-3011
Phone: (303) 861-9700  |  Fax: (303) 861-9799
Email: spronk@spronkwater.com