Colorado Water Quality Control Commission (CWQCC) Passes Clarity Standard for Grand Lake. The CWQCC have officially passed new revisions to the Classifications and Numeric Standards for Upper Colorado River Basin and North Platte River (Planning Region 12), Regulation 33.56 (5 CCR 1002-33). This new standard sets a 3.8 meter clarity standard in Grand Lake from July 1st through September 11 each year and puts a minimum of 2.5 meters based on certain critical factors. These new clarity standards for Grand Lake were adopted in 2016.
This was a huge win for Grand Lake and was truly a team effort led by members of Three Lakes Watershed Association, Town of Grand Lake, Bureau of Reclamation, Grand County, Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, USGS, Colorado River District, Northwest Colorado Counsel of Governments, and Midwest Electric Consumers. The standard will be in place for 5 years and will allow the Bureau of Reclamation to develop a long term solution to a problem that has existed since the construction of the Colorado Big Thompson Project in the late 1940’s.
For the most recent (2019) Water Quality/Grand Lake Clarity outcomes, please see https://www.co.grand.co.us/DocumentCenter/View/14164/Grand-Lake-Clarity-Adaptive-Management-Slides-for-Grand-County-011520?bidId=