This Water Conservation Plan has been created for the purpose of providing a framework to deal with drought or any other phenomena that diminishes or interrupts the normal supply of water and water levels in Bear Creek and Evergreen Lake.

Mission

The Mission of this Plan is to provide guidance and operational imperatives to the Board which will facilitate a quicker and more comprehensive response to any interruption of the Evergreen Metropolitan District ("EMD") water supply.

Water Shortage from Low Bear Creek Flow and Emergency Response

Drought responses to water shortages on Bear Creek will be categorized into four conditions. The responses will be based on two flow monitoring devices, which monitor and record the water flow in Bear Creek at two locations. One gauge is on Bear Creek prior to Evergreen Lake, and the other gauge is on Bear Creek prior to the town of Morrison.

The Morrison gauge has been in existence since 1920, and has 80 years of water flow history associated with it. The Evergreen gauge has only been in operation for 15 years. A comparison of the two gauge readings has been made over the timeframe the two gauges have been operating together, and a correlation of the two gauges has been established. See Appendix D. The Evergreen gauge has a correlation of 80% of the flow at the Morrison gauge. Therefore only Morrison gauge readings will be referenced in this report. The District can gain access to these two gauges for daily flow readings via satellite and the Internet. The Internet address for the two gauges is listed in Table 2 that itemizes all of the different agencies web sites.

Minor Drought Response Level #1

• A minor drought would be determined by a Bear Creek gauge reading of 12.0 cfs @ the Morrison gauge or 10.0 cfs @ the Evergreen Lake gauge.
• A minor drought may be sustained over the entire summer without getting worse.
• A minor drought response may also be employed if a water system supply problem that limits the amount of water the distribution system can provide to any or all areas of the water system.
• The first minor drought response would be to notify the District's customer base and the public in general that a drought is occurring and ask for voluntary reductions of water usage, particularly outside watering of grass and landscaping.
• If the flow in Bear Creek holds at the 10.0 cfs reading at the Evergreen Lake gauge, then this will be the extent of action taken.
• Reminders in the local paper, that the drought is still occurring and that conservation measures are still necessary, will continue.
• The articles surrounding this issue will state that, when the drought is over, a public announcement will be made in the local paper, the radio, and a message will be posted in the news section of the District’s Web site with these announcements on it.

Drought Response Level #2

• These drought conditions would be determined by a Bear Creek gauge reading of 10.0 cfs @ the Morrison gauge or 8.0 cfs @ the Evergreen Lake gauge.
• Public notification that the drought is becoming more severe, and that additional drought responses are necessary. Notices would be placed in the local paper, local Denver radio stations, and the District web site.
• A special drought notice flyer may be sent to customers asking for voluntary cutbacks in outside irrigation.
• Golf courses, all irrigation taps and all public parks will be asked to go to every third day watering , and reduce their water usage by 30% on a metered average.
• Water rate penalties will go into effect for irrigators that ignore the cutback request.
• Penalties will be waived for first time offenders; however 2nd offences and on will be subject to $100.00 per day fines.
• Irrigators will be limited to water use of 15,000 gallons per month per equivalent tap, and all water used above that amount will be billed at $20.00 per thousand.
• All water haulers using the pay station will be limited to hauling for indoor use only. No hauling for irrigation purposes will be allowed.
• Hauling violations will result in loss of hauling privileges.
• A public announcement will be made whenever the drought is over.

Severe Drought Response Level #3

• Severe drought conditions will be determined by a Bear Creek gauge reading of 6.25 cfs @ the Morrison gauge or 5.0 cfs @ the Evergreen Lake gauge.
• The response to this further reduction in stream flow will be to would be to further restrict usage of both regular District customers and irrigation taps.
• All irrigation with District water sources will be on an every third day watering schedule.
• Fines will be imposed on customers violating the every third day watering schedule.
• Each residential tap equivalent will be restricted to no more than 15,000 gallons per month or 500 gallons per day.
• All irrigated public parks, and irrigation taps will be restricted to the minimum amount of water needed to keep their turf alive, and under no circumstance should that amount exceed 9,000 gallons per month per equivalent irrigation tap.
• All irrigation of golf courses will be asked to shut down; however they could continue to irrigate out of private water reservoirs.
• Water billing rates will be set at $100.00 per thousand gallons for all usage over 15,000 gallons per month for residential equivalents and 9,000 gallons per month for irrigation taps as a prohibition on excessive use.
• A public announcement will be made when the drought has ended or an increase in stream flow has allowed the irrigation users to increase watering and/or has allowed the golf courses to again irrigate.
• District will upgrade the drought response to a Level 1 or 2 drought condition if stream flow increases.
• All notices and penalties will be listed on the District’s web site, and in local newspaper publications.

Maximum Probable Drought (DC Level #4)

• This drought situation would be determined by a Bear Creek gauge reading of 4.5 cfs @ the Morrison gauge or 3.5 cfs @ the Evergreen Lake gauge.
• The response to this worsening drought condition will be to declare a state of water emergency.
• The District will restrict all water use to basic indoor uses and aggressively enforce an outside watering moratorium.
• Fines will be imposed on customers violating the outside irrigation ban.
• All golf courses and irrigation taps will be cut off until this level of drought is lifted.
• This state of emergency will be broadcast on Denver radio and television stations along with notice at all public buildings, the local newspapers, and the District’s web site.
• Water billing rates will be set at $100.00 per thousand gallons above 9,000 gallons per month of use, along with a fine of an additional $100.00 for all customers exceeding the 9,000 gallons per month, until further notice.
• If the situation dictates, the Water Shortage Response Team can enact more stringent requirements for water rationing.
• A public announcement will be made whenever the drought has ended or an increase in stream flow has occurred that will allow the District to administer a Level 1 or 2 drought condition response.

Winter Drought

A winter drought is not foreseen due to the low water usage from customers on the water system during that season. Without irrigation, the District’s maximum base use for customers at the 6500 tap number would be between 250 and 300 gallons per day. This usage would equate to between 2.5 and 3.0 cfs during the winter. Only once in the last 80 years of data on Bear Creek has the flow reached a low of 4.0 cfs in the winter. Therefore a winter drought is not anticipated utilizing the maximum tap number of 6500.