Augmentation Plans and Substitute Water Supply Plans
Martin and Wood personnel engineer plans for augmentation involving surface water, groundwater, and gravel pits to prevent injury to the stream system. Because augmentation plans must be approved in Water Court, which is typically a multi-year process, developing temporary substitute water supply plans is also a large part of the water rights engineering performed by Martin and Wood personnel.
Empire Project
The Town of Empire has historically replaced its out-of-priority depletions from its use of alluvial wells and surface water right with leased Henderson Mine water. Due to the construction of the City of Golden’s nearby Guanella Reservoir, Empire was able to come to an agreement for augmentation water and storage space in the reservoir. Martin and Wood personnel estimated future consumptive use for the Town’s ultimate buildout and conducted the engineering required for Empire’s augmentation plan decreed in 2010, utilizing the newly acquired reservoir water as an additional augmentation source.
