Sweetwater Authority approves AECOM environmental work for Loveland trails as residents urge leaving water in reservoir

The Sweetwater Authority Board of Directors on Feb. 26 authorized the general manager to amend an existing contract with AECOM Technical Services and issue a task order to produce environmental documentation for the Loveland Reservoir Trails Improvement Project and a Loveland Reservoir Trails master plan.

The action follows public comment from Karen Wood, executive director of Friends of Loveland Reservoir, who urged the board to retain a historic minimum pool in Loveland to preserve shoreline access for recreation, protect an ecosystem she said depends on the water, and keep water available to fight fires. "Leave some water in Loveland," Wood said during general public comment, adding that an empty reservoir in the winter of 2022–23 harmed recreation and firefighting capacity.

Why it matters: The board’s approval sets the environmental and planning work that will shape trail repairs, a new bridge and observation deck, and how the property connects to other local trails. Those decisions will affect public access, habitat disturbance and timing for construction under a Department of Water Resources grant that funded the…