Denver Water will appeal a federal judge’s order barring the utility from filling Gross Reservoir once the construction on the new, higher dam is complete. The utility on Tuesday filed a notice to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals stating it will challenge U.S. District Judge Christine Arguello’s recent order that prohibits the filling of the reservoir to take advantage of the higher capacity until federal permitting processes are redone. … The expanded reservoir would be triple the size of the current body of water outside Nederland and add enough water to serve about 156,000 more households. … Environmental groups opposed the reservoir expansion because it requires the clear-cutting of a half-million trees and will cause the utility to draw more water from the already-strained Colorado River system.

Other Colorado River Basin news:

• The Land Desk: Blog: Spring runoff peaks, winners announced
• Greeley Tribune (Colo.): Opinion: From snowpack to drought — navigating Colorado’s water rights
• Aspen Daily News (Colo.): Aspen leaders urge reduced water use amid drought