EPA Pans Water Diversion Plan

DENVER—Federal authorities raised several red flags in their analysis of a $270 million project designed to pull an additional 21,296 acre-feet of water annually from the Colorado River. Citing bad math and a downplaying of critical adverse impacts, the EPA said the project to divert more western Colorado water to feed expanding Front Range suburbs risks causing “significant degradation” of already deteriorating ecosystems along the upper Colorado.

According to the Denver Post: An EPA document, sent to federal permitting authorities last week, recommends further analysis of the Northern Water Conservancy District’s Windy Gap Firming Project to prevent new violations of state water-quality standards and “a more robust monitoring and mitigation plan” to protect the river.

“The EPA has not recommended delaying this project,” EPA regional administrator Jim Martin said. “Our recommendations are intended to provide a path forward that also protects the Colorado River.”

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