Case Study:
Water and Wastewater Utilities
Planning for Climate Change
BEAR CREEK WATERSHED ASSOCIATION AND
EVERGREEN METROPOLITAN DISTRICT, COLORADO
Background
The Bear Creek Watershed Association (BCWA) has 14 member communities that provide drinking water, wastewater
and stormwater services within the Bear Creek Watershed in central Colorado. The watershed does not have any high
elevation surface water and is mostly snowpack- and groundwater-fed, which is unique compared to other Front Range
watersheds.
The Evergreen Metropolitan District (Evergreen Metro) is a member of BCWA that provides drinking water services to
13,700 customers and provides wastewater services to a smaller number of customers in the service area. Average daily
production of Evergreen Metro's Water Treatment Plant (WTP) is 1.5 to 2 million gallons per day (MGD). The water
source is Evergreen Lake, which is located at mid-elevation in the watershed.
Climate Threats
BCWA and Evergreen Metro are primarily concerned with climate threats that could result in water quality and quantity
issues. Increasing temperatures from climate change could present regulatory and treatment challenges for Evergreen
Metro, in addition to affecting the health of sensitive fish species in the watershed. A minimal temperature increase of 1 to
2°F would present issues for local cold-water fisheries. Additional concerns include water supply quantity issues from
drought, as well as water supply quality issues from wildfires and subsequent flooding. Previous flooding events have
resulted in significant sedimentation of Evergreen Lake that has diminished the reservoir's capacity.
Planning Process
BCWA and Evergreen Metro engaged in a series of webinars and an in-person meeting to conduct a climate change risk
assessment using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool
(CREAT). The assessment brought together individuals from BCWA, Evergreen Metro and EPA to think critically about
potential climate impacts, priority assets and possible adaptation options. BCWA and Evergreen Metro are using their
assessment to build on existing modeling and monitoring efforts to better understand how climate change threats could
affect utility operations and watershed health.
Adaptation Measures
BCWA and Evergreen Metro developed two forward-looking adaptation plans in CREAT—the "Minimum Proactive Plan -
10 years" (Minimum Proactive Plan) and the "Preferred Plan by 2050" (Preferred Plan)—that contain potential adaptation
options that would provide additional protection to BCWA and Evergreen Metro's assets from climate change threats in
the future. BCWA and Evergreen Metro plan to share the results of their CREAT assessment with BCWA members and
the BCWA board. Presenting and discussing the results of CREAT assessments to decision makers can demonstrate the
benefits of implementing cost-effective risk reduction adaptation options. More details are presented in the table below.
BCWA and Evergreen Metropolitan District Case Study — Page 1
*>EPA

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Case Study: Water and Wastewater Utilities Planning for Climate Change
PLAN
POTENTIAL ADAPTIVE MEASURES

Decision models that incorporate uncertainty

Expanded water quality monitoring

Improvement of bioretention facilities
Minimum Proactive
Plan -10 years
Improvement of climate training for personnel, decision makers and watershed
members
Improvement of fire management plans to combat water quality issues from
wildfires and subsequent flooding

Improvement of public communication plans

Improvement of existing temperature monitoring to better understand potential
impacts on infrastructure and operations

Decision models that incorporate uncertainty

Expanded water quality monitoring

Improvement of bioretention facilities

Improvement of climate training for personnel, decision makers and watershed
members
Preferred Plan by
2050
Improvement of fire management plans to combat water quality issues from
wildfires and subsequent flooding
Improvement of public communication plans

Improvement of existing temperature monitoring to better understand potential
impacts on infrastructure and operations

Expand rainwater collection through rain barrels and cisterns

Improvement of cold-water management of segment 1A to improve water quality
and provide benefits to the fisheries and other species in the watershed

Storm-related excessive erosion mitigation to improve water quality and provide
benefits to the fisheries and other species in the watershed
Contact Information
For more information regarding Bear Creek Watershed Association's climate adaptation planning, contact Russell
Clayshulte at rclavshulte@earthlink.net.
BCWA and Evergreen Metropolitan District Case Study — Page 2
£EPA
Office of Water (4608T)
EPA 810-S-16-008
January 2017

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