|
Holistic
Approach to Sustainable Water Management in Northwest Douglas County
Greg Roush, President, Leonard Rice Engineers
ABSTRACT: Coloradoans recognize that our long-term economic health hinges
on the availability of adequate, clean, reliable water supplies. As future
demands for municipal, recreational, agricultural, and industrial uses
continue to increase throughout the state, providing adequate water supplies
will become more challenging. The water supply situation in northwest Douglas
County serves as an example of the challenge of providing an adequate
municipal water supply. Current and future residents are faced with a
declining nonrenewable groundwater supply and limited options for renewable
water supplies. The recommendations in the report provide an innovative
approach toward balancing water supply and demand.
This study identifies two water management techniques that, particularly when
paired together, offer an overlooked renewable water supply alternative for
Colorado: precipitation management through rainwater and snowmelt harvesting
and outdoor water demand management through use of water efficient
landscaping and irrigation practices. Rainwater harvesting is being practiced
in at least seven other western states.
Recommendations will be presented for ways to implement rainwater harvesting
and protect existing water rights through utilizing the legal framework of an
augmentation plan.
BIO: Greg Roush is President of Leonard Rice Engineers, Inc. (founded
in 1970) located in Denver, Colorado which provides water rights, ground
water, permitting, infrastructure design, and water resource planning
services to western states and local governments, corporations, and
individuals. He joined the firm in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science degree in
Watershed Sciences from Colorado State University; he is a registered
Professional Engineer in the State of Colorado. In 1998 Mr. Roush became an
owner in the firm starting the third generation of ownership transfer and has
been serving as President of the firm since 2005.
Professionally, he has over 27 years experience at Leonard Rice Engineers in
the areas of hydrology, water supply planning, and water rights engineering.
He has developed river basin simulation models in the states of AZ, CO, WY,
and MT and assisted with general river basin adjudications in AZ and WY. In
addition to management of the firm, he is primarily working with clients and
their legal counsel in potable and reuse water supply planning, acquiring
water rights, assisting with the engineering aspects of changing their rights
in water court, providing expert testimony and performing water rights
appraisals.
If you have questions, please contact info@coloradogroundwater.org.
RSVP@coloradogroundwater.org
|
