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Castle Rock approves $577,000 engineering amendment to advance Chatfield pump-back project
Summary
The Town Council unanimously approved a $577,000 amendment to Burns & McDonnell's contract to advance 20% design and prepare a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit application for the Chatfield pump-back project, a multi-million-dollar effort to move up to 2,000 acre-feet from Chatfield Reservoir to Castle Rock.
Town Council on a unanimous vote approved a resolution to amend the town's engineering agreement with Burns & McDonnell by $577,000 to fund next-step design and permitting for the Chatfield pump-back project.
Mark Marlowe, who presented the item, said the town's objective is to "move that water directly out of Chatfield Reservoir all the way back to Castle Rock." He told council the work will include a new intake and pump station on Chatfield Reservoir, a midline booster station and roughly 12 miles of pipeline to convey water to town reservoirs in Sedalia and on to Castle Rock.
The project is large and dependent on federal permitting. Marlowe told council "the current estimates are anywhere from $85,000,000 to $100,000,000. This is not a small project." He said the town has spent about $349,000 to date and that the amendment before council would fund the next phase of work to reach roughly 20% design and prepare a Corps of Engineers permit application, with a goal of submitting core permit materials by next June. Marlowe also said the Corps has limited internal review capacity; staff may need to self-fund outside review to avoid lengthy delays.
Staff described the amendment as a targeted step: it focuses Corps-level design and documentation on the intake and near-reservoir pipeline subject to federal jurisdiction, while leaving later phases of routing and full design until after permitting. Council members asked clarifying questions but did not object to the scope. Marlowe emphasized an additional operational benefit: Chatfield water has lower winter salinity than local sources, which would help Castle Rock blend supplies and use renewable water year-round despite road salt impacts.
The resolution (Res. 2025-141) was moved and seconded and passed on a roll-call vote with all council members voting in favor.
Council recorded the unanimous vote; no conditions or amendments were added to the motion.
Looking ahead, staff said long-term capital and construction will be determined by final pipe size, alignment and permit conditions; design and permitting costs are expected to increase as the project moves to final design.
