Board members recognized that a conservative approach would offer greater long-term flexibility if drought conditions persist.
“We have run the C-BT Project very cautiously and conservatively,” said Board Member Jennifer Gimbel of Larimer County.
The Board had set a quota of 50 percent in November, putting water into the accounts of C-BT Project allottees at the start of the water year. Through the winter and early spring, the Board monitored the region’s snowpack, water stored in reservoirs managed by East Slope ditch and reservoir companies and available water in Colorado-Big Thompson Project reservoirs. The Board also solicited for input from the region’s water users at the Spring Water Symposium on Tuesday in Loveland, by written communications and at Thursday’s Board meeting.
Water Resources Specialist Emily Carbone told the board that low winter snowpack will result in reduced stream flows in 2026. However, colleague Sarah Smith, a senior water resources engineer at Northern Water, said the C-BT Project’s reservoirs are above their historic average for this date, which would allow a higher quota to be set.
For water users who live in Northern Water’s boundaries east of Kersey, allocated and delivered water will enter the South Platte River as return flows from upstream farms, factories and wastewater treatment plants, adding another water source to the traditional South Platte River flows.
Water for the project is diverted from the Upper Colorado River and Big Thompson River and stored in Horsetooth Reservoir and Carter Lake until needed for use by allotment contract holders.
The quota percentage reflects the amount of water per acre-foot that allottees holding C-BT Project allotment contracts can receive through Oct. 31, 2026. For example, if a farmer or water provider holds 100 units of C-BT Project water allotment contracts, they could receive as much as 80 acre-feet of water delivered this year.
Water from the C-BT Project supplements other sources for 33 cities and towns, 120 agricultural irrigation companies, various industries and other water users within Northern Water’s 1.6 million-acre service area. According to recent census figures, more than 1.1 million residents now live inside Northern Water’s boundary. Visit our website to learn more about Northern Water and the C-BT quota.