May 9, 2025

Regional Pool Allocation Set at 23,000 Acre-feet

The Northern Water Board of Directors allocated 23,000 acre-feet of Regional Pool Program (RPP) water during its May 8, 2025, Board meeting. RPP water is available for lease by eligible Northern Colorado water users, with sealed bids due 2 p.m. May 22, 2025. Bid prices per-acre-foot must be greater than or equal to $33.80, a floor price the Board selected based on the 2025 agricultural assessment rate. The allocation is split into two sub-pools. 

  • 11,500 acre-feet for water users from Horsetooth Reservoir (ie. Poudre River, Soldier Canyon Dam, Hansen Supply Canal and Dixon, etc.)
  • 11,500 acre-feet from water users south of Horsetooth Reservoir (ie. Big Thompson, Little Thompson, St. Vrain, Boulder Creek, Hansen Feeder Canal, St. Vrain Supply Canal, etc.)
Horsetooth Reservoir at Sunset
Horsetooth Reservoir at sunset
The following forms are required to submit a bid: 
  • Pre-Approval Form – To confirm eligibility, interested bidders must email or mail the Pre-Approval Form to Northern Water. A new Pre-Approval Form is required each year.   
  • Carrier Consent Form – If the RPP water will be delivered by a carrier, such as a ditch or reservoir company, bidders and their carriers must complete the Carrier Consent Form or provide a signed agreement stating that the carrier will deliver the RPP water to the bidder. This form must also be emailed or mailed to Northern Water.  
  • Bid Form – Sealed bids will be accepted at Northern Water’s headquarters through a “self-serve” process. Bidders will sign in at a kiosk in the Building A lobby at Northern Water, 220 Water Ave., Berthoud, and print a bid label for their sealed bid envelope. The label will identify the bidder name, date and time stamp, and bid number. Bidders are then asked to secure the label to the bid envelope and place it in the drop box. Sealed bids may also be mailed to Northern Water, but bids must be received before the deadline.  

Sealed bids are due by 2 p.m. Thursday, May 22, at Northern Water’s headquarters, 220 Water Ave., Berthoud, CO 80513. As described above, sealed bids can be mailed or hand delivered; email and fax bid forms will not be accepted. RPP leases will be awarded based on highest bids per acre-foot. Sealed bids will be opened 2:10 p.m. Thursday, May 22, in the Grand Lake Conference Room of Building A at Northern Water.    

Questions regarding the Regional Pool Program and bid submittal can be emailed to regionalpool@northernwater.org or by calling Sarah Smith at 970-622-2295 or Water Scheduling at 970-292-2500. 

Regional Pool Program Website