WHY DOES ADAMS COUNTY NEED A WATER MASTER PLAN?

While Adams County is not a water provider, it recognizes that water supply issues need to be prioritized to advance and create a sustainable future. As one of the fastest growing counties in Colorado, Adams County acknowledges it is important to understand growth’s impacts on water resources, as well as how water resources will shape future land uses. However, summarizing water demands and supplies at the County-scale is complex. Interconnected systems — managed by different entities with varying policies and planning objectives — make it challenging to summarize data in meaningful ways. Currently, Adams County has 76 different water providers, with over 4,000 water rights, 300 diversion structures, and roughly 14,000 wells (Colorado Department of Water Resources, 2023). Additionally, supplies are sourced from watersheds and aquifers located within and outside of the County.