ERO Resources assisted Lockheed Martin and other interested stakeholders in improving an undeveloped section of Massey Draw, managed by Chatfield Nature Preserve, that is near Chatfield Reservoir. Massey Draw has been a major contributor of phosphorus to the reservoir. ERO calculated the amount of runoff during 100-year and 10-year storm events, as well as the average runoff from the Massey Draw watershed, then estimated phosphorus loading under currently developed conditions in the watershed. ERO evaluated alternatives and developed costs to reduce phosphorus loading, control erosion, and improve the wildlife habitat along Massey Draw in the stream section near the reservoir. In addition, ERO assisted with presentations to interested stakeholders and funding source agencies. After funding for construction of the chosen alternative was received, ERO assisted with design of the stream and wetland habitats, trails and interpretative signs, and provided construction oversight.

The Pine Brook Water District retained ERO Resources to conduct a natural resource assessment for the proposed Pine Brook Reservoir site in Boulder County. The proposed project consisted of the construction of a dam and water storage reservoir. ERO’s services included mapping of vegetation communities, identification of federal and state threatened and endangered species habitat, a wetland and riparian survey, visual assessment, analysis of surface water hydrology, and identification of other natural resources.

ERO incorporated these environmental studies into a formal 1041 permit application submitted to Boulder County. ERO assisted Pine Brook Water District with presentation of the application before the Boulder County Commissioners and a permit was granted in 2004. The application covered resources of statewide interest including, wetlands and riparian areas, wildlife, vegetation, soils and geologic conditions, recreation, land use, visual quality and cultural resources.

ERO Resources has been retained by the Salt River Project (SRP) as overall advisors, technical coordinators, and soil experts for the two water rights adjudications in which SRP is involved. SRP is the major surface water user in the Gila River basin and provides water and electricity to much of the Phoenix metropolitan area. SRP operates six reservoirs, over 1,200 miles of canals, and conjunctively uses ground water from about 250 pumps to deliver in excess of 1 million acre feet annually.

ERO Resources is assisting SRP in the following areas:

• Hiring and coordinating experts and in-house staff involving about 40 people in 15 disciplines
• Developing alternatives, strategies, plans, and scopes of work
• Participating in negotiations with Indian tribes, federal agencies, state and local governments, and cities
• Conducting economic and hydrologic analyses of alternative water supply sources
• Conducting analysis of Indian reserved rights including arable land classification
• Performing remote sensing, image processing, and geographic information system analysis of historical and current land use patterns
• Investigating water rights claims and hydrographic survey reports
• Coordinating streamflow and subflow analyses, and modeling of impacts to surface flows due to ground water pumping