In some cases, the reservoirs are so massive, it will take hundreds of years - or more - for the dirt to have any significant impact on storage space. When it flows into rivers, sediment inevitably and inexorably stacks up behind dams. Water and wind have always carried sediment off the landscape. The problem is not a new one, not for Denver Water, nor for many reservoirs around the world. “We can address this, but it will take smart engineering, big thinking and enduring commitment.” “Sustaining the reservoir for future generations will be a long-term challenge for us,” said Doug Raitt, engineering manager at Denver Water. Water is held there before it is routed for treatment at Marston and Foothills plants in preparation for customers. More than 80% of the water that Denver Water uses to supply 1.5 million people flows through Strontia, located six miles up Waterton Canyon to the southwest of Denver.įor Denver Water, the reservoir is a key staging area of sorts. The reservoir plays a critical role for the metro area. Now, Denver Water engineers and watershed scientists are weighing how best to address the issue, looking for methods to manage the sediment flows many decades into the future. The equivalent of thousands of dump truck loads per year of the coarse material are making their way into the reservoir, reducing the water it can store and potentially clogging up the dam’s operations. Heavy sediment flows, exacerbated by wildfire and intense rainfall, are sliding off the foothills west of Denver into the South Platte River and accumulating in Strontia Springs Reservoir. Strontia Springs Reservoir, a key water management tool for Denver Water, spills into Waterton Canyon in May of 2015.
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