Arapahoe County panel approves Rangeview Metro’s Box Elder Well Field 2 amid local concerns

Arapahoe County Planning Commission on March 4 approved Rangeview Metro District’s Box Elder Well Field 2 and pipeline project, a location-and-extent application (LE24-003) that would build four alluvial horizontal wells and a roughly five-mile, 24-inch transmission main connecting to Lowry Ridge Storage Pond.

The project was approved 4-3 after a staff presentation, an applicant briefing and public comment. Commissioner Morehouse moved to approve the application; Commissioner Latsis seconded. The motion passed on a roll call vote of 4–3.

County staff presenter Kate Hammer said staff’s findings conclude the application “generally conforms to the comprehensive plan” and meets the Arapahoe County Land Development Code and Lowry sub-area plan policies. Hammer told commissioners the pipeline and wells would be installed on six sections of land owned by the Colorado State Land Board and would follow an existing utility corridor.

Brent Brier, an engineer with Pure Cycle representing Rangeview Metro District, described the project as a renewable water source for anticipated growth east of Aurora. Brier said the proposal calls for four horizontal alluvial wells with 12-inch vertical casings extending about 25 feet and roughly 600-foot horizontal laterals, a 24-inch, five-mile transmission main and about 3,800 feet of 12-inch pipe to connect the wells to the larger main and existing storage. He said the wells would be installed during the creek’s dry months, with construction anticipated between July and December, and that surface disturbance would be minimized by a one-pass trenching method.

Brier said the alluvial-well approach was chosen because it can provide a year-round, renewable supply without building a large new reservoir. He added the wells target the shallow alluvial sand beds beneath Box Elder Creek and that the work would be done “subsurface” with regrading and reseeding after construction. “It’s not gonna have an impact on groundwater wells in the area,” Brier said, referring to deeper Denver- and Arapahoe-basin wells used by nearby property owners.

Staff and the applicant said they received review from referral agencies, including the Division of Water Resources and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). Hammer said CPW raised timing and diversion concerns; staff circulated revised conditions of approval incorporating CPW’s recommended criteria and the applicant did not object to the added conditions. The applicant also reported an environmental assessment was prepared and reviewed by outside agencies; Brier said the Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reviewed the applicant’s report and a 404 permit has been issued for the project.

Several nearby residents spoke against or asked questions about the project during the public hearing. Susan Donka and Bill Coyle said they worried about impacts to wildlife habitat, riparian vegetation and local wells; Jeff Humble asked how much water would be taken and whether an environmental study had been done. Brier and staff responded that an augmentation plan will be required and that state water law and the water-rights/augmentation process would be used to prevent injury to senior downstream water-right holders. Brier said the project team will coordinate with downstream water-right holders, including Mr. Coyle, as they develop the augmentation plan.

During deliberations Commissioner Miller stated opposition citing uncertainty about whether downstream water rights would be adequately protected; other commissioners said the application includes recommended conditions and referral responses staff considers sufficient. The roll call after discussion recorded the motion passing 4–3.

The Commission’s approval is a location-and-extent decision and will not be forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners, the chair noted at the close of the hearing. Next steps described in the hearing included final permitting, obtaining required well permits from the Division of Water Resources, development of an augmentation plan required by water court processes, and compliance with the CPW-related conditions of approval specified in the staff packet.

Votes at a glance: LE24-003 (Rangeview Box Elder Well Field 2) — Motion to approve staff report findings and conditions; mover: Commissioner Morehouse; second: Commissioner Latsis; outcome: approved 4–3 (Yes: Commissioner Latsis; Commissioner Saul; Chair Sava; Chair Pro Tem Morehouse. No: Commissioner Brockleman; Commissioner Howe; Commissioner Miller).

The planning commission record for this matter includes staff reports, referral comments from CPW and DWR, the applicant’s environmental assessment and the applicant’s easement from the Colorado State Land Board. The applicant and staff said construction methods and timing are intended to minimize surface disturbance and that the project will be operated under an augmentation plan to protect downstream water rights.