Planning
Planning Overview
CCBWQA does two general types of planning:
- Strategic planning related to its mission and goals and
- Specific project planning for pollution abatement projects.
Vision
The objective of the Federal Clean Water Act is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters and specifically those in the Cherry Creek Basin.
Mission
- Implement the Federal Clean Water Act in the Cherry Creek Basin.
- Improve, protect, and preserve water quality in Cherry Creek and Cherry Creek Reservoir for recreation, fisheries, water supplies, and other beneficial uses.
- Provide for effective efforts by counties, municipalities, special districts, and landowners within the basin in the protection of water quality.
- Work with Member Entities and Stakeholders to enhance partnerships on water quality policies and projects.
- Promote public health, safety, and welfare.
Goals
- Use effective stewardship to implement sustainable reservoir and watershed water quality management strategies.
- Implement an efficient and effective organization with the expertise to achieve results.
- Work with Member Entities and Stakeholders to enhance partnerships on water quality policies and projects.
- Continue to develop leading edge, innovative water quality solutions.
- Adapt as needed.
Objectives
- Better understand Reservoir and watershed dynamics and linkages.
- Identify the right "mix" of sustainable strategies that will preserve and enhance water quality for beneficial uses and/or prevent negative water quality impacts.
- Ensure that the Authority Board maintains an adaptable organizational structure and expertise so it can efficiently identify, prioritize, and implement Authority initiatives, and respond to requests.
- Enhance partnerships with Member Entities and Stakeholders to leverage resources, resulting in improvement, protection, and/or preservation of water quality beneficial uses, and prevention of negative water quality impacts.
- Effectively and efficiently participate in Regulatory Activities that impact water quality.
- Continue as leader and laboratory.
Pollution Abatement Project Planning
CCBWQA plans for future Pollution Abatement Projects. These planning efforts help to identify future projects, estimate water quality benefits, and inform prioritization for inclusion in the 10-year Capital Improvement Program.
In 2022, CCBWQA engaged in three planning efforts:
- Cherry Creek from the Reservoir to Cherry Creek State Park Boundary
- Cherry Creek from Cherry Creek State Park Boundary to Scott Road, and
- 11 previously unplanned Cherry Creek tributary watersheds within Arapahoe County.
Emerging Regulatory Issues
On April 11, 2022, the Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) held a limited scope Rulemaking Hearing (RMH) for the Cherry Creek Reservoir Control Regulation 72 (CR 72) that focused on changes to section 72.7 “Stormwater Permit Requirements” and changes to associated definitions in section 72.2. The CCBWQA was the proponent for this limited scope RMH. These changes brought CR 72 up to date with the current stormwater science and practices, and improved consistency with the Basin’s MS4 permit requirements.
CCBWQA is actively participating as a party in the WQCC 2023 Regulation 38 “Lakes Nutrients Criteria'' RMH, scheduled for April of 2023 (originally scheduled for November of 2022). At this RMH, the WQCD will propose to adopt total phosphorus and total nitrogen standards in Cherry Creek Reservoir. CCBWQA is requesting a delayed effective date for the adoption of these phosphorus and nitrogen standards in Cherry Creek Reservoir, to allow time for the CCBWQA to develop site-specific standards that consider the uniqueness of the Cherry Creek watershed and reservoir.
CCBWQA supports the development and implementation of total phosphorus and total nitrogen standards in Cherry Creek Reservoir but believes that the Basin and the Reservoir are unique compared to other Colorado reservoirs and watersheds, and that science and data-backed site-specific standards are appropriate and will help the CCBWQA as it works to maintain beneficial uses in the Reservoir.
Also in April of 2023, the WQCC will hold an informational hearing for CR 72 to allow stakeholders the opportunity to present potential topics for inclusion in a formal scope for a RMH to be scheduled at a future date in 2023/2024. After extensive discussions at both the CCBWQA TAC and Board levels in 2022, the CCBWQA determined that there are no topics that warrant a CR 72 RMH at this time, and CCBWQA does not intend to be the proponent for a CR 72 RMH if one is scheduled in the near future. If a CR 72 RMH is scheduled by the WQCC, CCBWQA will participate as a party.