The 2023 Colorado Water Plan estimates that by 2050 there will be a municipal and industrial water supply gap of between 250,000 and 750,000 acre-feet per year. “Diversifying Colorado’s Water Portfolio: The Potential for Stormwater Capture and Use to Contribute to a Water Resilient Future” seeks to advance understanding of the extent to which rainwater harvesting and stormwater capture in urban areas can help fill this gap. 

This project achieves this goal by 1) synthesizing Colorado water law as they relate to rainwater harvesting and stormwater capture and use, 2) quantifying the volumetric potential of rainwater harvesting and stormwater capture in urban areas across each of Colorado’s eight river basins and the Denver metropolitan area, 3) identifying benefits associated with stormwater capture and use, 4) highlighting examples of urban stormwater capture and use projects in Colorado, 5) engaging and facilitating input from a diverse Expert Review Panel, and 6) providing recommendations and next steps.