Denver Water is moving forward with a $464-million project to expand Gross Reservoir, following a Nov. 2 settlement with Boulder County, which had opposed the plan. Located southwest of Boulder, Colo., the dam project is a critical component of the utility's ability to provide water tor 1.5 million customers in metro Denver.
The expansion will raise the dam's height by 131 ft, which boosts the reservoir capacity by 77,000 acre-ft, nearly tripling its size. When the project is complete, the new capacity of roughly 119,000-acre-ft will improve the balance between Denver Water’s north and south sections. The agency has been developing a plan to increase capacity for more than 16 years. The original designers anticipated need for an expansion when the reservoir was built in 1954.