Abstract: 

Rainwater Harvesting Pilot Projects are a program established by the Colorado State Legislature to explore the potential of neighborhood-scale rainwater harvesting in new residential developments. This program is an option for renewable non-potable water supply for outdoor use in new developments. Pursuant to 37-60-115(6), C.R.S. and the Colorado Water Conservation Board’s (CWCB) Criteria and Guidelines for the Rainwater Harvesting Pilot Project Program, a pilot project can apply for a substitute water supply plan using a Regionally Applicable Factor (Factor) to estimate allowable harvest. The Factor is a tool to estimate the historic natural depletion (HND) in pre-development conditions. Post-development, the HND from areas made impervious will be new runoff that, for the purposes of Rainwater Harvesting Pilot Projects, is available for harvest without injury to vested water rights. This accounting procedure mimics the historical consumptive use and return flow estimates of a naturally vegetated area. The Division of Water Resources has developed a proposed set of Factors for the state and wishes to present the methodology and resultant Pilot Project accounting rules for public feedback.

 

 

Contact Holly Piza at hpiza@udfcd.org ​with any questions.

 

 

The presentation is available in person (space limited) or remotely with an option to pay for a lunch or bring your own. Either way, you must register

 

Speakers:

 

Tracy Kosloff is a professional engineer, with bachelors and masters degrees from UCLA.  She worked as a consulting engineer for 10 years before joining the Denver office of the Colorado Division of Water Resources in 2010. Among her assignments at the State Engineer’s Office, Tracy acted as a team leader for South Platte River water supply issues. She is now the Assistant State Engineer for Water Supply and Litigation.

Ryan Gilliom is a PhD candidate at Colorado School of Mines, with an MS Hydrology from CSM and BS Geology from Haverford College. She studies rainwater harvesting and legal limitations thereof in Colorado and the Colorado River Basin. Ryan received an NSF-INTERN award to fund her ongoing internship with Colorado Division of Water Resources where she is working on modeling and policy for rainwater harvesting pilot projects. Ryan expects to graduate from CSM in 2020 and hopes for a career working to resolve legal barriers to water innovation in Colorado.