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Five Alternatives Currently Being Reviewed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Name Description Total Additional Water
Storage to get
18,000 acre-feet
of supply 		Cost
all figures
are approximate
Large Gross Raise existing Gross Reservoir 125 feet. 72,000 acre-feet Construction: $140 million. Annual operating costs: $300,000.
Gross/Leyden Combines enlargement of Gross Reservoir by 85 feet and construction of new Leyden Gulch Reservoir in Jefferson County. 72,000 acre-feet (Gross: 40,700 acre-feet; Leyden Gulch: 31,300 acre-feet) Construction: $295 million. Annual operating costs: $600,000.
Gross/Reuse/Gravel Pits Combines enlargement of Gross Reservoir by 101 feet with gravel pit storage by capturing and storing reusable return flows in gravel pits along the South Platte River in the Brighton area. When needed, water would be recovered from gravel pit storage, treated at a new advanced water treatment plant (using reverse osmosis), and conveyed through new pipelines to the Moffat Collection System. 57,000 acre-feet (Gross: 52,000 acre-feet; Gravel pits: 5,000 acre-feet) Construction: $360 million. Annual operating costs: $5 million.
Gross/Reuse/Aquifer Combines enlargement of Gross Reservoir by 101 feet with deep aquifer storage by capturing and storing reusable return flows in the Denver Basin Aquifers using numerous injection/recovery wells. When available, reusable return flows at the Denver Water Recycling Plant would be treated at a new advanced water treatment plant (using reverse osmosis) and conveyed via a new pipeline distribution system to injection/recovery wells in the city of Denver. When needed, this stored water would be recovered from the wells and conveyed through new pipelines to the Moffat Collection System. 57,000 acre-feet (Gross: 52,000 acre-feet) Construction: $390 million. Annual operating costs: $6 million.
Gross/Agricultural Combines enlargement of Gross Reservoir by 110 feet with gravel pit storage by purchasing existing South Platte River agricultural water rights and transfer of those water rights to municipal use. Gravel pits would be developed to store the converted agricultural water. When needed, this water would be recovered from the gravel pit storage facilities, treated at a new advanced water treatment plant (using reverse osmosis), and conveyed through new pipelines to the Moffat Collection System. 63,625 acre-feet (Gross: 60,000 acre-feet; Gravel pits: 3,625 acre-feet) Construction: $425 million. Annual operating costs: $4 million.

Denver Water believes the Large Gross option would deliver the most benefits at the least cost and with similar environmental impacts compared with the other practicable alternatives.