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Water Resources of Northern South Park Basin

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Water Resources of Northern South Park Basin, Park County, Colorado

Study Area: Park County, southeast of Como
Period of Project: Inactive
Project Number: CO31400
Project Chief: Daniel Brendle
Cooperator: City of Aurora

BACKGROUND:

The City of Aurora is proposing to develop a part of the ground-water resources in the vicinity of the a sportsmen's ranch, located in the South Park Basin, Park County, Colorado. Aurora's plan, entitled the "South Park Conjunctive Use Project" (SPCUP), would make use of aquifer withdrawals during average and dry years and would recharge the aquifer with surplus surface water during wet years. The South Park Formation of Tertiary age would be the source of ground water.

Aurora proposes to:

• pump ground water from the South Park Formation via a well field located on the ranch. Ground water pumped into Park Gulch (a tributary of Tarryall Creek) would be delivered to Colorado's Front Range as streamflow via Park Gulch, Tarryall Creek, and ultimately the South Platte River.
• recharge the aquifer using infiltration from six recharge areas to be constructed near or on the ranch. The recharge areas would be supplied with water diverted from the headwaters of Tarryall Creek and its tributaries, in an area about 10 miles north of the ranch.
• divert water from the headwater streams during wet years or when streamflow is adequate to meet their junior water right.

Currently (1999), minimal information exists on the quantity and quality of surface- and ground-water resources within the proposed project area.

OBJECTIVES:

1. To measure streamflow and obtain water-quality samples in Tarryall Creek below Park Gulch to delineate current streamflow and water-quality conditions in Tarryall Creek.
2. To measure water levels in wells in the vicinity of the ranch to determine the seasonal variability in ground water levels.
3. To maintain a web page for access to the ground-water level data and the surface-water flow and water-quality data by the City of Aurora and the interested public.