Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Resources topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Conifer town hall: officials warn of severe drought and explain mountain development water rules
Summary
County and local water presenters said snowpack and groundwater levels are unusually low, urged conservation, and outlined how the Mountain Groundwater Overlay District and the Water Availability Analysis affect new subdivisions and building permits in the mountain area.
Speakers at the Conifer town hall cautioned residents about a severe drought outlook and described county rules that govern water for new development in mountain areas.
Peter Markman of the Conifer water resources study action team summarized long‑term monitoring showing falling groundwater levels in metro‑area wells and warned the region is "somewhere around extreme to severe" drought. He advised residents to "know your well" — understand well depth, current water level and pump settings — and to consider conservation measures, lining up well contractors and installing cisterns when appropriate.
Heather Guthrelis, planning supervisor for Jefferson County Planning and Zoning (long‑range planning), explained how the county’s Mountain Groundwater Overlay District — established in 2007 for mountainous fractured‑rock areas not served by water and sanitation districts — applies to new development. Guthrelis said the county uses a standardized Water Availability Analysis (WAA) and GIS model to evaluate whether a proposed project’s water demand can be met by basin recharge and existing well allocations. "After the county gets that documentation then we plug it into what's called our Water Availability Analysis," she said.
Guthrelis outlined permit and application thresholds: preapplications are preliminary steps; applicants for subdivisions or rezonings in the overlay must provide estimates of water requirements, documentation of legal water rights and, at later stages, more detailed studies. For building permits, she said the county now requires a four‑hour well test; applicants who fail to meet the test thresholds must demonstrate the ability to store water (for example, a cistern or storage within the wellbore).
Guthrelis also listed three new preapplication cases of local interest: a six‑lot subdivision off Turkey Creek Road (about 68 acres, roughly 10‑acre lots), a rezoning near Deer Creek Canyon to allow a 5‑acre house parcel while retaining agricultural land, and a commercial‑to‑warehouse rezoning near Key Drive and Highway 285. She emphasized the WAA applies only to new development, not to existing homes.
Takeaway for residents: conserve water, monitor private wells, and consult county guidance; Guthrelis said Division of Water Resources and county public health partners have resources and potential funding links for residents experiencing well problems.
