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June 11, 2025

Why Denver Water Is Fighting Environmentalists To Expand a 70-Year-Old Dam

City Cast Denver

Why Denver Water Is Fighting Environmentalists To Expand a 70-Year-Old Dam

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Denverites are paying higher rates for water this year, in part, to fund construction on the expansion of Gross Reservoir in Boulder County. But longtime Denverites will be forgiven for asking: Didn’t dam-building in the West go the way of the dodo decades ago? Producer Paul Karolyi sits down with Denver Water’s new CEO/Manager Alan Salazar to talk about the legal battle his agency has been waging with environmentalists over the expansion of Gross Reservoir in Boulder County and how he’s thinking about Denver’s future growth. 

For more on the details of the legal fight over Gross Reservoir, we recommend the Colorado Sun’s ongoing coverage. And if you haven’t seen it, you should really check out “I water that way” by the Splashstreet Boys. 

What do you think about Denver Water’s expansion of Gross Reservoir? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

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