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Urban Waters Partnership
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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.


Partnership in Action Report

Local Partnership Workplans

Featured Resources​
  • Natural Capital Project
  • Natural Capital Asset Map and Decision Support Tool 
  • Systems Thinking
  • H2Only Water Quality Messaging
  • America's Forests
  • Predicting/Modeling Improvements in Public Health in Sun Valley
  • Denver Urban Field Station
  • Water Quality Assessment Tool 
  • Ultra-Urban Green Infrastructure 
  • Water Education Colorado: Pursuing Water Justice
  • Sun Valley 10-year Summary
  • MOU: South Platte River & Tributaries, Adams & Denver Counties, Colorado Project
  • Mayor Hancock launches major infrastructure effort along S. Platte

General Resources
  • Partnership Summary
  • Partnership Brochure
  • Accomplishments
  • Background Information
  • News
  • Program Contacts
  • Meeting Notes
  • Program Updates
  • Sun Valley Stormwater Management Options
  • Mission, Goals and Workgroups
  • Partner Links
  • Letter of Support Criteria

  • Westerly Creek EJ
    • GI and Stream Restoration Design
    • Building a Bridge between Environment and Equity

    • Environmental Justice Meets Urban Waters: Westerly Creek

  • Heron Pond Master Plan ​
  • Denver Urban Waterways Restoration Study 
  • International Erosion Control Association (IECA) presentation (pdf) (5.05 MB)
  • Maps:

    • Watershed Graphic
    • Urban Waters Partnership Area with Data Layers
    • Urban Waters Partnership Area with Legend
    • Urban Waters Partnership Area
    • Map of South Platte River Basin
    • South Platte Contributing Headwater Basins
    • Estimated Lead Service Lines
 
Source Water Protection
  • Forest to Faucets 
  • Aurora Water Source Water Protection Plan
  • Integrating Water Resource Protection and Planning Guidance
  • Denver Water Source Water Protection Plan 
Water Quality Resources​
  • Water Quality Assessment Tool 
    • WQAT User Guide
  • NAWQA South Platte River Basin Study 
  • Effects of Urbanization on Stream Ecosystems in the South Platte River Basin, Colorado and Wyoming
  • Water Quality in Denver's Streams: A Story Through Maps 
  • Macroinvertebrates and Pollution Tolerance Index
  • Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in the South Platte
  • Real time data for the South Platte at Englewood

  • UWFP Cooperative Matching Funds Projects 

  • Denver Dept. of Public Health & Environment: Water Quality  
 
Educational Resources​
  • Changing Behaviors Through Messaging
  • Case Study: Keep It Clean Denver and Earth Force
  • A Model to Engage Youth
  • CAEE: 2015 Awards Booklet 
  • Earth Force KIC-NET Activity Guide 
  • The South Platte: an Urban River and Critical Watershed 
  • Lower Bear Creek
    • Urban Waters Learning Network Spotlight 
    • Groundwork Denver - Water 
    • GroundworkUSA Spotlight 
    • Groundwork Denver slides (2015)
  • Denverized Dog Poop Infographic (flyer)
Wetland Resources​
  • Aurora Wetlands Brochure 
  • Survey and Assessment of Critical Urban Wetlands: City of Aurora 
  • Denver Wetland Brochure 
  • Survey and Assessment of Critical Urban Wetlands: City and County of Denver 
  • Lower South Platte River Basin Wetland Profile and Condition Assessment 
Green Infrastructure Resources​
  • Denver Green Infrastructure Story Map 
  • Green Infrastructure Semi-Arid West
  • Colorado State University Study: Trees have unexpected impacts on water use in Northern Colorado 
  • Denver Urban Field Station
  • Trust for Public Land Mapping Project 
Urban Waters Cycle Bike Tours​
  • 2019 Urban Water Cycle Bike Tour Map
  • 2020 Urban Water Cycle Bike Tour (video)
  • 2021 Urban Water Cycle Bike Tour (video)
  • 2021 Urban Water Cycle Bike Tour Map

List of Partners

Federal Government

  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  • U.S. Forest Service
  • Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry
  • U.S. Geological Survey 
  • Denver Urban Field Station
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
  • National Parks Service, Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance Program
  • National Parks Service, Water Resources Division
  • 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
  • Aurora Water
  • Chatfield Watershed Authority
  • Cherry Creek Basin Water Quality Authority/Upper Clear Creek Watershed Association
  • City of Aurora
  • City of Aurora, Water Department
  • City of Brighton
  • City and County of Denver, Department of Public Health and Environment
  • City and County of Denver, Parks and Recreation
  • City and County of Denver, Public Works
  • City of Commerce City
  • City of Englewood
  • City of Lakewood
  • City of Sheridan
  • City of Westminster
  • Denver Health
  • Denver Mountain Parks
  • Denver Water
  • Dominion Water and Sanitation District/Sterling Ranch
  • Greenwood Village
  • Jefferson County
  • Metro Water Recovery
  • Mile High Flood District
  • South Platte Renew
  • Tri-County Health Department

Community Stakeholders - NGOs

  • 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
  • Cherry Creek Watershed Foundation
  • Clear Creek Watershed Foundation
  • Coalition for the Upper South Platte (CUSP)
  • Colorado Watershed Assembly
  • Denver Botanic Gardens - Chatfield
  • Dinosaur Ridge
  • Earth Force
  • EcoAgriculture Partners
  • Environmental Learning for Kids
  • Front Range Wild Ones
  • Groundwork Denver
  • Institute for Environmental Solutions
  • Jefferson Conservation District
  • Lincoln Hills Cares
  • Metro Denver Nature Alliance
  • 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)
  • South Platte River Waterkeeper
  • The Greenway Foundation
  • The Park People
  • The Nature Conservancy
  • Trout Unlimited
  • Trust for Public Land
  • WalkDenver
  • Water Education Colorado
  • Westerly Connection
  • Volunteers for Outdoors Colorado

Business

  • Biohabitats
  • Capital Representatives
  • CH2M
  • The Consensus Building Institute
  • Earth Economics
  • Davey Tree Expert Company
  • Keystone Concepts
  • Ecosystem Sciences Foundation
  • LRE Water
  • LLG International LLC
  • Plan-It Geo
  • REI
  • RenewWest LLC
  • Summit Economics
  • Westervelt Ecological Services
  • Zeppelin Development

University

  • Colorado School of Mines
  • Colorado State University
  • Front Range Community College
  • Metro State University One World One Water Center
  • Red Rocks Community College
  • University of Colorado - Boulder
  • University of Colorado at Denver
  • University of Denver
  • Urban Waters Partnership Home
  • About the Urban Waters Partnership
  • 20 Designated Urban Waters Locations
    • Anacostia Watershed (DC/MD)
    • Blue River (Kansas City, MO)
    • Bronx and Harlem River Watersheds (NY)
    • Caño Martín Peña (PR)
    • Grand River/Grand Rapids (MI)
    • Greater Philadelphia Area / Delaware River Watershed (PA, NJ, DE)
    • Green-Duwamish Watershed (Washington)
    • Lake Pontchartrain Area / New Orleans (LA)
    • Los Angeles River Watershed (CA)
    • The Meramec River and Big River (Missouri)
    • Middle Rio Grande / Albuquerque (NM)
    • Mystic River Watershed (MA)
    • Northwest Indiana Area (IN)
    • Passaic River / Newark (NJ)
    • Patapsco Watershed / Baltimore Region (MD)
    • Proctor Creek Watershed/Atlanta (GA)
    • Rio Reimagined-Rio Salado Project
    • San Antonio River Basin within Bexar County (Texas)
    • South Platte Watershed, Headwaters to Denver Metropolitan Area (CO)
    • Western Lake Erie Basin, near Toledo (OH)
  • Federal Partners
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on January 24, 2023
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