Douglas County Water Commission hears kickoff of countywide water plan; consultants outline data, outreach and timeline

The Douglas County Water Commission on Feb. 24 heard a kickoff presentation from consultants hired to prepare a countywide water plan and voted to approve the minutes of its Jan. 27 meeting.

Consultants said the plan will analyze county water supplies and projected demands, identify supply–demand gaps, and recommend strategies and policies for closing any gaps. “We're really excited to be here today and to get started on this water plan for Douglas County,” said Mike Worsak, Forsgren, at the start of the presentation. The consultant team described a technical work program, repeated engagement touchpoints with the commission, and several public outreach events.

Why it matters: Douglas County faces a mix of water systems — individual wells, community wells, provider systems and Denver Basin groundwater — whose sustainability depends on how growth, land use and conservation measures are managed. The plan will provide a technical basis for policy decisions and potential code changes the county may consider.

Consultants’ scope and methods Forsgren and partners described three main technical thrusts: data collection and mapping, groundwater and Denver Basin analysis, and a supply–demand gap analysis that would inform recommended strategies. “We're going to be going through some introductions and then of our project team and then we'll also be going through our scope of services and talk a little bit about some of the goals and the purpose of the plan,” Worsak said. The consultants said demand projections will be prepared for current conditions and increments through…