Spatiotemporal Assessment of Groundwater Resources in the South Platte Basin, Colorado

The South Platte Basin is one of the fastest growing basins in Colorado and faces strong competition for water resources. Water sustainability challenges in an over-appropriated system will need to be addressed to meet future water demands. Balancing the conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater from the South Platte alluvial aquifer and the Denver Basin aquifer system is critical for meeting future demands. Over the past decade, energy development in the basin has added to the competition for water resources, highlighting the need to advance our understanding of the availability and sustainability of groundwater resources. Current work includes evaluating groundwater storage changes and recharge regimes throughout the South Platte Basin under competing uses, e.g. agriculture, oil and gas, urban, recreational, and environmental. Groundwater data is used to evaluate spatiotemporal variability in groundwater storage and identify areas of high water stress. Spatiotemporal data will also be utilized to develop a high resolution groundwater model of the region and assess recharge regimes. Results will ultimately help stakeholders in the South Platte Basin better understand groundwater resource challenges and contribute to Colorado’s strategic future water planning.