The City of Aurora – Water Resources Division (Aurora Water) is proposing to construct a new off-channel reservoir near Hartsel, Colorado to provide long-term water supply and system resiliency. ERO has supported the project since 2005, beginning with a wetland delineation to evaluate whether U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permitting would be required for the potential project. The Corps approved a nonjurisdictional determination for the project area in 2005, which ERO has renewed every 5 years on behalf of Aurora Water.
In 2014, ERO began conducting cultural and natural resource surveys to support feasibility studies and the preparation of multiple categorical exclusions (CEs) issued by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to authorize geotechnical investigations. Resources included cultural, mountain plover habitat (BLM sensitive species), wetlands, and MBTA compliance. ERO provided geotechnical investigation support with cultural resources monitoring.
ERO continues to support the project with preNEPA resource surveys and assessments, including extensive cultural resource surveys, natural resource assessments, wetland delineation reports, recreation study, and a hazardous materials report in support of a future NEPA notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement. ERO provided Aurora Water expertise under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), including with developing goals and objectives, alternative selection criteria, permitting, agency and Tribal coordination and consultation efforts, draft programmatic agreement, and resource studies for the alternatives.
