April 8, 2024

Participant Profile: Central Weld County Water District

Central Weld County Water District (CWCWD), headquartered in Greeley, Colo., is one of two water districts participating in the Chimney Hollow Reservoir Project. CWCWD was organized in 1965 to serve a large rural population in Weld County.  

Today, the 250-square mile service area serves a population of almost 10,000 people through retail taps and an additional 50,000 people through wholesale customers. The area is primarily agricultural; however, as with much of the Front Range, recent trends indicate a shift in demand to residential and municipal uses. With a growing service area and a need for a more reliable water supply, CWCWD has almost 350-acre feet of water storage in Chimney Hollow Reservoir. 

“Having Chimney Hollow Reservoir will firm our Windy Gap unit and provide us with the security that we should have a 100 percent firm yield. This will ensure more water to meet customers' demands,” said CWCWD District Manager Stan Linker. 

Central Weld County Water District Main Office

Storage in Chimney Hollow Reservoir is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to long-term water planning and supply. All project participants agreed to emphasize the most responsible use of water through multiple water conservation methods. Per CWCWD’s 2020 Water Efficiency Plan, it expects to reduce total annual treated water deliveries by 5 percent per capita by 2027.  

“The District [CWCWD] is excited to have another water storage vessel to catch Windy Gap water that in years past has been lost to spillage. It means more reliable, available water to help meet demands,” he said.