Denver Water reduces diversions from Colorado River headwaters, keeps streams flowing on Western Slope
With a federal water shortage declaration looming for the Southwest, Denver Water is trying to help. Normally nearly 20% of the city’s water comes from Grand County, which is filled with streams that make up the headwaters of the Colorado River. In a normal year, 60% of the water in Grand County is diverted from streams high above Grand Lake and captured near Winter Park and sent to the other side of the Continental Divide for agricultural and municipal water supply, mostly on the Front Range.