Bac kground
municipalities in the Denver Basin rely on
flank of the basin near the foothills have
this groundwater for their primary water
already felt the adverse effects of the de-
• Rates of water withdrawal;
the aquifers;
supply, and in some places the decline in
clining levels. For some, the remedy may
• Location of future population growth
water levels is rapid.
be to drill deeper to extend the useful life
and development;
In the 1970s and 1980s when the state
of their wells. For others, this may not
began regulating the pumping of these
be a technically feasible or economically
aquifers, it recognized that they were finite
viable. In some cases, a deeper aquifer
• Aquifer storage and recovery projects;
and received virtually no recharge. In fact,
option may not exist. Still others have
• New regulations and legislation;
Denver Basin aquifer withdrawal results
recognized that they are going to have to
• Water conservation measures and
in mining of the aquifers that depletes the
replace their groundwater supplies with
• The economic value placed on the
water in storage and lowers water levels
renewable sources of water if they are
(pressure head) in wells.
to maintain a sustainable water supply in
Most wells that tap this resource are 500
• Alternate sources of water to meet demands;
the long-term.
water resources
This Citizen’s Guide to Denver Basin
to 2,000 feet deep. As water levels decline,
Eventually the water held in these
Groundwater explores the geology and
well production decreases and more wells
aquifers will be so depleted that addi-
hydrology of our underground water re-
may be required to meet the same demands.
tional pumping will become physically
source, the legal framework developed
Water level declines of more than 20 feet per
and economically impractical. While this
for its administration and management,
year have been observed in the primary aqui-
scenario may seem bleak, an informed
the current development of this resource,
fers used for public water supply in densely
populace can participate in the necessary
and its limitations and sustainability.
populated areas. Such dramatic declines are
long range planning required to assure a
The greatest impacts from increased
the response of confined aquifers to a fo-
sustainable water supply. Factors that will
pumping of these bed rock aquifers is occur-
cused pumping regimen. As pressure levels
influence our groundwater future in the
ring in the South Denver Metropolitan areas
are reduced, these rates of decline may not
Denver Basin include the following:
of southwest Arapahoe County and northern
be sustained into the future.
Douglas County. For this reason, they are an
Some wells located along the western
• The amount of water in storage in
emphasis of much of this document.
Citizen’s Guide to Denver Basin Groundwater
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