A few weeks back I mentioned a big construction project on the Platte River between the Sand Creek & Clear Creek confluences.
It looked like they were tunneling under the Platte and turning an old gravel quarry into a water reservoir.
Turns out that's exactly what they're doing. I talked to a surveyor with Denver water and he told me there are two future reservoirs being built, one on either side of the Platte. Both are old gravel quarries. The city owns 5 more quarry's next to the river between there and Fort Lupton and Denver has good senior water rights so the plan is to fill these reservoirs using the Burlington Ditch.
The water law requires Denver to replenish the river water they take upstream. It seems like a wise decision to me, what with the potential for climate change and whatnot.
The tunnel under the Platte is a pipe between the reservoirs to equalize the levels. They have names, the one on the West side is Cat Reservoir and the Eastern one is Miller Reservoir.
Here's some pictures during the tunneling:
Looking South...
This is where the trail ends.
Here's some photos a few weeks later...
Trail restored.
River flowing wider now.
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