Regional Pool

The Northern Water Board of Directors allocated 15,000 acre-feet of Regional Pool Program (RPP) water during its May 9, 2024, Board meeting. RPP water is available for lease by eligible Northern Colorado water users, with sealed bids due 2 p.m. May 16, 2024. Bid prices per-acre-foot must be greater than or equal to $33, a floor price the Board selected based on the 2024 agricultural assessment rate.  The allocation is split into two sub-pools.

• 7,500 acre-feet for water users from Horsetooth Reservoir (ie. Poudre River, Soldier Canyon Dam, Hansen Supply Canal and Dixon, etc.)
• 7,500 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.)

Preparing a Bid 

Interested bidders must submit: 

• Regional Pool Program Pre-Approval Form - Bidders can do this either before bidding begins or along with bid submission. The form allows staff to confirm bidders are eligible to participate in the Regional Pool Program. 
• Regional Pool Program Bid Form - Bidders must submit amount of water desired and per-acre-foot bid amount, as well as sub-pool.
• Regional Pool Program Carrier Consent Form - If Regional Pool Program water will be delivered through a carrier, such as a ditch or reservoir company, bidders or their carriers must complete the Regional Pool Program Carrier Consent Form or provide a signed agreement stating that the carrier will deliver the Regional Pool Program water to the bidder.

Bid Deadline

Sealed bids are due by 2 p.m. Thursday, May 16, 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 16, in the South Platte Conference Room of Building H at Northern Water, 220 Water Ave., Berthoud.

Bid Results

Bids will be opened in a public forum at Northern Water’s headquarters at approximately 2:10 p.m. on Thursday, May 16 in the South Platte Conference Room in Building H. Staff will award (pending any eligibility checks) the water based on the highest per-acre-foot bids. Winners will be notified within five business days. Payment is due no later than 10 business days after the bid opening, May 31.

Questions

• Water Scheduling, 970-292-2500, regionalpool@northernwater.org
• Sarah Smith, 970-622-2295

Regional Pool Program FAQS 

Where does the Regional Pool Program water come from? 

At the end of every water year on Oct. 31, account entities are allowed to carry over a portion of their unused C-BT Project water into the new water year. Unused water in excess of an account entities carryover limits accrue to the Regional Pool. If an account entity elects not to pay for the storage of carryover water, that water also accrues to the Regional Pool.

How and when is water allocated from the Regional Pool? 

According to the Regional Pool Program rule, the Northern Water Board of Directors may allocate water from the Regional Pool only when C-BT Project reserves (as calculated in mid-November) exceed 200,000 acre-feet. The rule limits the size of Regional Pool allocations to 62,000 acre-feet per year. If the Board elects to make Regional Pool water available for lease, it may do so at any of its regularly scheduled monthly Board meetings starting in January. If the Board does not allocate all of the Regional Pool water in a given month, it can make more water available incrementally through September. 

Who gets to use the Regional Pool water? 

All Regional Pool water will be available through a competitive sealed bid process. Once it is allocated, water will be leased to qualified water users who submit the highest bid per acre-foot. Both C-BT Project allottees and non-allottees can lease water from the Regional Pool. Revenue generated by Regional Pool Program leases will ultimately be distributed back to the account entities that provided water to the pool. 

How can the water be used?

Regional Pool Program water may only be leased for uses authorized by Northern Water and only within Northern Water’s boundaries. You do not have to be an allottee to bid on or use Regional Pool Program water.

Will the Regional Pool Program restrict an entity’s ability to lease its own C-BT Project water?

Absolutely not. The Board will continue to declare an annual quota to owners of C-BT Project allotment contracts. Allottees will continue to have the flexibility to lease all, or a portion, of their respective quota water to other water users within Northern Water boundaries.