Water Sources
Most of Greeley's water begins as rain and snow runoff into rivers in the Colorado, Laramie, Big Thompson and Cache La Poudre water basins. Greeley operates six mountain reservoirs in the Poudre River Basin and uses Boyd Lake, Lake Loveland, and Horsetooth Reservoir, which deliver water from the Big Thompson and Colorado Rivers.
6 High Mountain Reservoirs
Capturing fresh snow melt and feeding rivers that run to Greeley treatment plant
2 Greeley water treatment plants
Bellvue and Boyd Lake treatment plants process 9 billion gallons of water
4 sources for non-potable water for irrigation
Reservoir System
Greeley Water team members operate the system to capture water in reservoirs during spring snowmelt and release it as needed throughout the year. Greeley water may travel up to 45 miles before it reaches a plant for treatment and delivery. City demands are highest in June, July, and August. Staff who operate the high mountain reservoirs monitor the remote dams and their supplies in all weather conditions. Workers snowshoe to reach the dams and dig through snow 4 feet deep. They break through ice 2 feet thick to read gauges. Snowplowing some reservoir roads can take up to two weeks due to 12- to 15-foot snowdrifts.
We rely on reservoirs to serve various purposes. For instance, we use Milton Seaman Reservoir water for drought protection. We reserve Barnes Meadow water for winter releases to a city treatment plant.
Water Source Information
Non-Potable Water Storage and Delivery
Greeley has used non-potable water (water not treated to drinking water standards) to irrigate for over 100 years. In 1870, Greeley began using the No. 3 Ditch for watering parks and gardens. When cost-effective, the city continues to build non-potable facilities to irrigate grass on large properties such as parks, businesses, and common areas of homeowners' associations. The city is developing a policy to encourage more non-potable irrigation by commercial and residential development. The Water Department’s Non-potable Team operates 40 non-potable pump stations between March 30 and October 31 but is adding more each year.
Snow Surveys
Snow surveys project how much water Greeley has available the following spring and summer. City employees, with the Colorado Division of Water Resources and the City of Fort Collins, measure snowfall on the last five days of each month between January and May. Deep snow doesn't necessarily mean a good runoff into reservoirs. Dry soils can absorb the water before it travels to streams and rivers. A snow core sample measures the water content. The data helps staff know how much water to store in the reservoirs and how to forecast possible drought.