GRAND COUNTY WATER

Transbasin Water Diversions in Grand County

A transbasin water diversion is a man-made structure that takes water from one basin to another basin.  In Grand County, the transbasin water diversions take water from the Upper Colorado River basin (western slope) to the Front Range cities (eastern slope).  Generally, between 450,000-600,000 acre-feet of Colorado River water are diverted annually through transbasin water diversions to the Front Range. We are faced with the 80-20 conundrum: 80% of the population lives on the east slope where 20% of the water falls; 80% of the water falls (as snow) on the western slope where 20% of the population resides.  Click the subheadings to learn about four transbasin water diversions in Grand County.