Northern Water urges Larimer County to build a ‘firewall’ against out-of-basin water transfers

Pat Wells, water strategy specialist with Northern Water, told the Larimer County Board of County Commissioners on March 17 that Northern Colorado faces growing pressure from out‑of‑basin acquisitions that could erode the region’s historic water rights and economic base.

“Water is a foundational building block of prosperous communities,” Wells said, arguing that when water leaves the region ‘‘our wealth, our regional water security, and our vitality leave the region.’’ Wells and Brad Wind, general manager of Northern Water, presented a range of responses — from stakeholder outreach to legal and policy tools — and said Larimer County could play a convening and supportive role.

Northern Water framed the issue as both historical and current. Presenters traced local supply development from early reservoir construction to major projects such as the Colorado–Big Thompson (CBT) project and the Windy Gap Project, and cited recent projects including Chimney Hollow Reservoir. Northern Water said those supplemental supplies were intended to work in concert with native water rights and warned that continuing to build new infrastructure while losing senior water rights would weaken regional resilience.

Wells described a spectrum of possible protections. On the “left” end, he recommended awareness campaigns, stakeholder engagement and regional statements of principles; in the middle, market‑based incentives and mitigation programs; and at the “right” end, legal and institutional tools such as intergovernmental agreements and water‑conservancy or planning authorities. Wells explicitly noted that none of the tools are perfect and some will be politically difficult.

Commissioners asked how new governmental entities would intersect with existing county land‑use and 1041 review powers. Wells and Wind pointed to examples from other basins — including a San Luis Valley regional planning agreement that coordinates county 1041 review for proposed export projects, and an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between Bent County and Colorado Springs that established volumetric limits and payments when water left Bent County. Northern Water said those examples provided models for creating predictable rules and mitigation when water is acquired for export.

Commissioner Jody Shattuck McNally asked whether Larimer County is “at the table” with the Northern Colorado Water Alliance; Leslie Ellis, director of Larimer County Community Planning, Infrastructure and Resources, said the county has participated in the alliance since it expanded and that county staff have been involved for roughly three years. Chair Kristen Stevens and County Manager Lorinda Volker also participated in the discussion.

Northern Water cited recent headlines and transactions it views as illustrative of the pressure on local supplies: a roughly $80 million Aurora purchase in Otero County that drew regional opposition, and acquisition activity by Aurora and other metro utilities in South Platte tributaries. Wells also noted long‑standing local impacts elsewhere in the state, including Crowley County’s loss of more than 40,000 irrigated acres and associated economic stresses.

Northern Water did not propose a specific legislative action or mandatory county regulation during the work session. Instead, presenters left open the possibility of drafting a public statement or joint resolution with regional partners and recommended next steps focused on awareness, convening partners and, if desired, exploring IGAs or other tools later. Leslie Ellis said the county could return to the board for further discussion if commissioners wish to explore a joint resolution or other commitments.

The presentation and discussion were informational. No motions or votes were taken during the work session on March 17.