To meet projected Front Range growth, Denver is pushing for expanded diversions of water from the upper Colorado River basin, which already is being hammered by Denver Water’s diversions. In a recent guest commentary in the Denver Post, TU Colorado Water Project director Drew Peternell argues that Denver has a responsibility to protect the streams and rivers of the west slope, which support Colorado’s outstanding outdoors quality of life as well as local communities. One solution is more aggressive conservation measures by Denver, such as offering incentives for homeowners to replace water-guzzling lawns with xeriscaping.
We can’t continue to take and take from these rivers without accounting for our impacts.
