About the Wild Horse Reservoir Project

The Wild Horse Reservoir Project is a proposal from Aurora Water to build a new off-channel reservoir southwest of Spinney Mountain Reservoir near Hartsel, Colorado, in Park County. The new reservoir would provide the critical water storage that Aurora Water needs to ensure reliable water supply for community needs and maintain emergency water reserves.

Comprehensive, Long-Term Plan

The proposed Wild Horse Reservoir Project is part of Aurora Water’s comprehensive, long-term plan and forward-thinking, multi-pronged approach to meeting our community’s water needs. The additional water storage provided by the proposed project would work in tandem with Aurora Water’s ongoing water conservation and reuse initiatives.

Location

The location for the proposed Wild Horse Reservoir Project was identified within the South Platte River basin to ensure that stored water can be accessed during emergency conditions. The potential site is also located near the Otero pipeline, which currently conveys about half of Aurora’s water supply from the Colorado and Arkansas Rivers to Spinney Mountain Reservoir. Thus, this location not only provides access to emergency storage, but also allows for efficient integration with Aurora Water’s existing water supply system. Learn more about how the Wild Horse Reservoir Project would work.

Aurora Water engaged Park County officials early in the process to ensure open communication and collaborative planning. Since then, Park County and Aurora Water have continued working together to evaluate options and share information with the South Park community.

Environmental Considerations

Aurora Water has considered various environmental factors as we have prepared, planned, and designed the proposed Wild Horse Reservoir Project:

Water would be provided via pipelines, so the reservoir would be off channel. This means the project would not have dams blocking any existing rivers or streams.
Water for the project would be supplied from existing water rights, so no new water rights or decrees would be required.
Initial modeling has shown that there are no major streamflow impacts to the South Platte, Colorado, or Arkansas rivers.
The high-altitude location and the proposed depth of the Wild Horse Reservoir Project means less water lost to evaporation.
Aurora Water’s initial studies have not identified any threatened or endangered species.
The project would have minimal wetland impacts.
The grassland location reduces the risk of wildfire in the immediate vicinity.
The project could create additional wildlife habitats to complement the existing grasslands.

Where We Are in the Process

The proposed Wild Horse Reservoir Project is currently in the planning and pre-permitting phase. Aurora Water is conducting design and fieldwork to prepare for the required federal, state, and county environmental reviews and permitting processes.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM)—as the lead federal agency—will manage the federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process. Learn more about the NEPA process.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) will be managing review of environmental impacts to wetlands and streams under Regulation 87—Dredge and Fill. Learn more about the state review processes.
Park County officials will be managing review of the project under the county’s 1041 regulations. Learn more about the county review process.

For more information on these and other environmental reviews and permitting processes, see the Project Review and Permitting webpage.

Map of the proposed Wild Horse Reservoir Project. Click for larger image.

Wild Horse Reservoir Project Alternatives

The proposed Wild Horse Reservoir Project was developed through a comprehensive alternatives analysis in which Aurora Water reviewed more than 20 potential alternatives and conducted in-depth evaluation of four of these alternatives as part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process.

For certain permits and approvals, alternative locations and design components must be developed and considered.

Learn more about the project alternatives