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Town moves ahead on Chatfield water storage purchases and pump-back planning
Summary
Council approved funding for another tranche of storage in the Chatfield Reservoir reallocation project and heard staff updates that the town has purchased most entitlements, has about 1,152 acre-feet remaining, and is advancing design for a costly pump-back project estimated at $85M–$170M.
Castle Rock water staff updated council on the town’s long-running Chatfield Reservoir storage purchases and won council approval to fund the next allotment.
Staff said the town has already invested about $6.89 million and has roughly 1,152 acre-feet remaining to purchase. One example allotment of 129 acre-feet carries a price of about $1.07 million. The purchase program includes a financing structure that allowed multiple deferments in earlier years; staff characterized it as including a favorable 15-year window with initial deferments. As staff described the strategic rationale: Chatfield storage captures free river flows, brings higher-quality low-salt water to the system and creates trading flexibility with partners like Denver Water.
Staff also reported about 20% design progress on a related pump-back project to move stored water from Chatfield back to local reservoirs, noting a wide cost-range estimate of $85 million to $170 million depending on final sizing and alignment. Council voted unanimously to approve the funding resolution and staff said the purchase schedule and pump-back timeline are planned for the early 2030s subject to permitting and financing.
