US EditionFront Range cities step up opposition to $99 million Colorado River water rights purchase
- On April 9, 2024, Front Range cities including Denver, Aurora, and Colorado Springs opposed a $99 million proposal to buy historic Colorado River water rights from Xcel Energy tied to the Shoshone Power Plant in Glenwood Canyon.
- Opposition emerged because a local water agency has spent years attempting to secure the valuable water rights linked to a small hydropower plant, raising concerns due to the ongoing water disputes between Colorado’s West Slope and Front Range regions.
- During a Colorado Water Conservation Board meeting, Front Range water providers voiced worries that modifications to these water rights could disrupt the availability of water for millions of people, including residents, farmers, and industries located east of the Continental Divide who depend on water primarily originating from the west.
- Jessica Brody, who serves as Denver Water's legal advisor, warned the board of 15 members that moving forward with the proposal might negatively impact critical water use during extended or severe drought conditions.
- The event highlights continuing tensions over Colorado River water allocation, suggesting that the proposal could intensify regional disputes and impact water security across Colorado, especially during drought conditions.
9 Articles
9 Articles
Steamboat Pilot & Today
Front Range cities step up opposition to $99 million Colorado River water rights purchase
Denver, Aurora, Colorado Springs and Northern Water voiced opposition Wednesday to the Western Slope’s proposal to spend $99 million to buy historic water rights on the Colorado River from Xcel Energy. The Colorado River Water Conservation District has been working for years to buy the water rights tied to Shoshone Power Plant, a small, easy-to-miss hydropower plant off Interstate 70 east of Glenwood Springs. The highly coveted water rights are …
Front Range vs. Western Slope over water rights
Good morning, Sunriser readers. Before I moved to Colorado nearly a decade ago I’d heard about it, but not for its purple mountain majesties like most. Sure, I knew about the Rocky Mountains, but for my family, Colorado was still known as the place my grandparents were held in an internment camp during World War II. Colorado, to much of my family, was associated with imprisonment. Last Saturday I went to visit the Amache National Historic Site i…
Front Range cities step up opposition to $99M #ColoradoRiver water rights purchase — (Shannon Mullane) #COriver #aridification
This historical photo shows the penstocks of the Shoshone power plant above the Colorado River. A coalition led by the Colorado River District is seeking to purchase the water rights associated with the plant. Credit: Library of Congress photo Click the link to read the article on the Water Education Colorado website (Shannon Mullane): May 22, 2025 Denver, Aurora, Colorado Springs and Northern Water voiced opposition Wednesday to the Western Sl…
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