Urban Waters Partnership

Urban Waters and the South Platte Watershed from the Headwaters to the Denver Metropolitan Area (Colorado)

South Platte Watershed, Headwaters to Denver Metropolitan Area (CO)

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The South Platte Urban Waters Partnership is a collaboration of organizations, working across governmental and disciplinary boundaries. Their aim is to protect and restore lands and waters in the South Platte River watershed. The partnership emphasizes stewardship and community connection, linking urban areas with forested watersheds and people with nature.

This partnership involves more than 70 groups. Federal and state government, municipalities, universities, NGOs and private businesses all come together for the benefit of the silent partner, the South Platte River. Local or federal action alone is less suitable to handle the complex challenges surrounding water, resource protection and connecting people with nature. This partnership's diversity is its strength and includes a role for each individual, community, business and agency.

This partnership is all about resource efficiency – leveraging human capital and financial resources to accomplish the most we can, in terms of river restoration, community education and improving watershed health.

The South Platte River Urban Waters Federal Partnership (SPRUWP) strives to protect one of Denver’s primary sources of drinking water, while supporting ongoing on-the-ground projects, education, and research, and facilitating a growing population’s connection to its urban waterways.

Water is such a scarce resource in our region, which makes our forested watersheds and waterways even more valuable. Collaborating with a group like this allows us to integrate solutions to complex problems. When people understand that their drinking water is tied directly to the health of the South Platte River, it means more to them.

The Greenway Foundation looked at $100 million invested in green improvements to the South Platte River and its tributaries. They estimated this investment has facilitated more than $10 billion in residential and commercial development throughout the Denver metro area. This estimate does not even include the additional dollar value of air and water quality and public health benefits from green infrastructure. That is a very good return on investment.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Forest Service
Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry
U.S. Geological Survey
National Parks Service, Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance Program
Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District
Natural Resources Conservation Service
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Housing and Urban Development
Economic Development Administration
Senator Michael Bennett staff
Representative Diana Degette staff

State Government

Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
Colorado Department of Transportation
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Colorado State Forest Service
Colorado Water Conservation Board

Local Government

Adams County
Jefferson County
Denver Health
Tri-County Health Department
City of Aurora
City of Brighton
City and County of Denver
City of Englewood
City of Lakewood
City of Sheridan
City of Commerce City
City of Westminster
Greenwood Village
Chatfield Watershed Authority
Cherry Creek Basin Water Quality Authority/Upper Clear Creek Watershed Association
Dominion Water and Sanitation District/Sterling Ranch
Littleton/Englewood Wastewater
Jefferson Conservation District
Metro Wastewater Reclamation District
Urban Drainage and Flood Control District
Aurora Water
Denver Water

NGO

Audubon Society of Greater Denver
Bluff Lake Nature Center
Barr Lake and Milton Reservoir Watershed Association
Chatfield Area Network for Outreach and Education
Cherry Creek Stewardship Partners
Clear Creek Watershed Foundation
Coalition for the Upper South Platte (CUSP)
Colorado Foundation for Water Education
Colorado Watershed Assembly
Denver Botanic Gardens - Chatfield
Dinosaur Ridge
Earth Force
EcoAgriculture Partners
Groundwork Denver
Institute for Environmental Solutions
National Forest Foundation
Research, Education & Development for Health, Recreation & Land Agencies (GP RED)
Rocky Mountain Land Library
Sand Creek Regional Greenway Partnership
Sierra Club
South Platte Enhancement Board
South Platte Coalition for Urban River Evaluation (SP CURE)
The Greenway Foundation, Capitol Representatives
The Park People
The Nature Conservancy
Trust for Public Land
WalkDenver
Westerly Connection
Volunteers for Outdoors Colorado