Uranium Monitoring, Testing and Modeling Ongoing 

Northern Water is committed to keeping the public informed as we gather additional information on the discovery of uranium at the Chimney Hollow Reservoir construction site. Collecting data and modeling are crucial steps in the development of mitigation strategies. We are actively working to learn more by evaluating test results through many modeling scenarios. Prior to making mitigation decisions, we want to make sure we have all the information so that the best solutions are implemented for long-term success.  

We have been testing how the uranium minerals leach into water and what their levels of concentration may be when the reservoir is filled. As part of the testing process, we have decided not to fill the reservoir as quickly as initially planned. Even as the reservoir fills, no water will be released until we know more about the concentration of uranium. We are working closely with water users to ensure strategies used to address uranium in the reservoir maintain a safe water supply 

Long term, we believe uranium leaching will decrease over time such that future water users will see negligible effects. While the discovery of mineralized uranium has caused us to modify our plans, it is an issue that can be safely managed. The new reservoir remains a valuable part of securing water supply needs for Northern Colorado and its future. Please visit the Water Quality page on our website where we have included more information and a list of Frequently Asked Questions.