One of Largest Colorado Water Projects in Decades Now Under Way
Southern Colorado officials and community leaders celebrated the beginning of major construction on the historic Southern Delivery System (SDS), one of the largest water supply projects under way in the western United States.
“This is one of the largest water projects to be built in Colorado in decades,” said Jerry Forte, Colorado Springs Utilities’ chief executive officer. “SDS is an investment in our community – one that will repay large dividends. Water is vital for our residents, and for businesses and new industries to prosper.”
The SDS project will serve the southern Colorado communities of Colorado Springs, Pueblo West, Fountain and Security. With the ultimate capacity to deliver up to 96-million gallons per day (MGD), SDS will provide a stable supply of water for decades to come.
Starting in 2016, SDS will transport water from Pueblo Reservoir through about 60 miles of underground pipeline. The project’s first phase also includes three pump stations and a water treatment plant. Work on the SDS connection to Pueblo Dam and raw-water pipeline construction in El Paso County began this year. The approved budget for phase I of construction is $880 million (in 2009 dollars). Future phases will include constructing a terminal storage reservoir and exchange reservoir, as well as expanding pumping and water treatment capacity.
The SDS project partners have long-term contracts with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to store, convey and exchange water using SDS which will connect to the federal facility.
It will take more than 7,000 pieces of pipe in 50-foot segments to build the some 60 miles of pipeline. In total, more than 123 million pounds (61,500 tons) of steel will be used for the SDS pipeline—enough to build 68,355 cars that average 1,800 pounds of steel.
Economic contribution
SDS construction is scheduled through 2016, resulting in an estimated $127.6 million in earnings to El Paso County contractors and $35.5 million to Pueblo County contractors. A number of regional businesses have earned contracts to perform initial work on the project.
“As we make this essential investment in our community’s future, we are pleased that construction will result in creating jobs and a much needed boost to the regional economy,” said John Fredell, SDS' program director.
According to a recently published independent study commissioned by the Chamber of Commerce Center for Regional Advancement, as many as 13,175 jobs could be generated by a region certain of its water supply. Further, without SDS, employment growth is expected to be 36 percent lower than it would be with SDS by 2050.
Decades of review and planning
Nearly 20 years in the making, SDS was developed out of Colorado Springs Utilities’ 1996 Water Resource Plan. Hundreds of options were studied and SDS was identified as the most dependable, cost-effective and environmentally responsible solution. In 2001, the SDS partnership between the communities of Colorado Springs, Fountain and Security was formed, and Pueblo West became a partner in 2008.
From 2001 through 2010, the SDS partners completed environmental reviews, obtained required permits and secured agreements with the city of Pueblo and Pueblo County to build the pipeline.
Environmental stewardship
Environmental impacts of SDS have been studied extensively. Since the SDS project required a major federal action by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to issue contracts for using Pueblo Reservoir, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In March 2009, after nearly six years of analysis and public process, the Bureau of Reclamation issued its Record of Decision for the SDS project, identifying the pipeline from Pueblo Reservoir as the Preferred Alternative. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency were cooperating agencies in the comprehensive environmental review process.
The project participants’ are building an environmentally responsible project by avoiding and minimizing project impacts. For unavoidable impacts, SDS will implement mitigation measures. A Fish and Wildlife Mitigation Plan developed with the Colorado Division of Wildlife outlines projected impacts to fish and wildlife as a result of SDS operations, and provides a blueprint to address them.
Mitigation will include maintaining viable fisheries in the reservoirs where SDS operations will impact lake levels (Pueblo Reservoir, Lake Henry and Lake Meredith). It also will include funding for increased hatchery production capacity, and improved fish habitat and retention.
Additionally, as part of a 1041 land-use permit with Pueblo County, SDS will contribute $50 million to improvements for Fountain Creek, which will be administered through the Fountain Creek Watershed Flood Control and Greenway District.
“The benefits of SDS transcend water delivery,” Fredell added. “SDS also will benefit fish and wildlife habitat and offer recreational opportunities.”