Water Released from Chatfield Reservoir Environmental Pool into South Platte River in Historic First

On January 7, 2025, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) initiated the first release of stored water from the Chatfield Reservoir Environmental Pool.

The Chatfield Environmental Pool was created as part of the agreement between the Chatfield Storage Reallocation Project’s participants and CPW, as outlined in the State’s Fish and Wildlife Mitigation Plan, C.R.S. 37-60-122.2 (122.2 Plan), approved January 2014.

Of the total amount of 20,600 acre-feet that comprises the reallocated storage space in Chatfield Reservoir, the 122.2 Plan identified that 1,600 acre-feet of the space would be dedicated as an “environmental pool,” to be used for strategic releases downstream of Chatfield Reservoir to enhance stream flows and water quality in the South Platte River.  The Chatfield Environmental Pool was expanded to 2,100 acre-feet because of the generosity of a partnership of 22 public and private, foundation and non-profit entities and individuals.

To learn more about this release, please read CPW’s press release available here: https://cpw.state.co.us/news/01072025/water-released-chatfield-reservoir-environmental-pool-south-platte-river-historic