Perhaps nowhere else in the world has water rights administration evolved to the level it has in Colorado. Water rights in Colorado are governed by Colorado's prior appropriation doctrine of "first in time, first in right". The numerous laws, treaties, compacts and precedent-setting court cases that regulate water rights administration have made water rights engineering in Colorado a highly specialized service. SGM has been helping its clients with their water rights needs since the Company's inception in 1986. Our understanding of Colorado Water Rights combined with our expansive knowledge of all aspects of water management, such as the collection, treatment and distribution of drinking water, gives SGM a unique perspective when approaching water resources challenges.

Services

• Augmentation Plans
• Demand/Depletion Analysis
• Exchange Plans
• Change of Use Plans
• Diligence Support

Projects

• Year-end DWR water usage reporting for MVMD and RFWSD
• Sunlight Mountain Resort Water Resources Analyses and Plan for Augmentation (Decreed 07CW058)

Forest health, climate variability, population growth, endangered species, declining water quality, increasing regulations, increasing cost and decreasing revenues...addressing water supply issues in Colorado can be a daunting task. SGM has been helping clients develop safe, legal, reliable water supplies for over 20 years. SGM provides a multi-disciplinary approach to water projects at all stages of planning, study, design and construction. By combining our expertise in hydrology, hydraulics, water rights and water treatment with an intimate understanding of each client's unique water demand, infrastructure and financial situation, SGM develops innovative solutions to water supply challenges of all sizes.

Services

• Water demand projections
• Integrated water resource plans
• Watershed protection
• Water conservation
• Collection system analysis and design
• Distribution system analysis
• Drinking water treatment

Projects

• Water Master Plans: Town of Buena Vista, Eagle River Water and Sanitation District, Town of Granby, Town of Carbondale, Sunlight Mountain Resort
• Mid Valley Metro District Comprehensive Water Rights Report to satisfy the requirements of House Bill 08-1141 (C.R.S. §29-20-304) and C.R.S. §30-28-133(3) (c) and (d)
• Strang Rural Land Development Water Supply Plan and Report which addressed the water supply for the 8 new undeveloped lots and fulfilled the requirements of Sections 7-104 and 7-105 of the Garfield County 2008 Unified Land Use Resolution
• Town/District Engineer for the Town of Basalt, Town of Carbondale, Town of Collbran, Town of Granby, TOwn of New Castle, Town of Palisade, Town of Rangely, City of Rifle, City of Salida, Town of Silt, Town of Snowmass Village, Mid-Valley Metropolitan District, Roaring Fork Water and Sanitation District, Powderhorn Metro District, Red Canyon Water Company, Redstone Water and Sanitation District, River Bend Water and Sanitation District, Silt Water Conservancy District, Skyland Metropolitan District and Starwood Metropolitan District

Colorado is known for its rugged natural environment that provides unparalleled recreational opportunities, abundant natural resouces and spectacular landscapes. One component of preserving these precious resources is prudent stormwater management. With increasingly stringent regulations and a particular emphasis on water quality, the challenges of reducing, controlling and treating stormwater runoff have become significant. SGM's team of engineers is experienced in all phases of stormwater management, from planning to design to construction. We combine this expertise with our thorough understating of the land development process to develop simple, cost-effective solutions to meet our client's stormwater management needs.

Services

• Drainage Master Plans
• Drainage system design
• Hydraulic structure design
• Erosion/Sediment control
• Hydrologic/Hydraulic modeling

Projects

• Mack Master Drainage Plan
• Snowmass Entryway
• Erosion Control Plan for Snowmass Employee Housing
• Review of Aspen's Stormwater Regulations

While Colorado is well known for its arid climate and numerous sunny days, it is equally known for its potential for violent rainstorms and raging spring runoff. Two of the most significant floods of the 20th Century occurred in Colorado; the Arkansas and South Platte Rivers in June of 1965 and the Big Thompson Flood of 1976. The spring runoff of 2010 was an excellent reminder that even after a winter of below average precipitation, unusual weather patterns can generate significant flooding. For over 20 years SGM has been providing floodplain management services to the west slope of Colorado. In addition to serving as floodplain manager for a number of west slope communities, SGM has provided floodplain modeling and delineations for numerous development projects.

Services

• River/Floodplain modeling
• Floodplain delineations
• Floodplain permits
• River hydraulics/scour analysis

Projects

• Flood Insurance Study Colorado Rifer and Main Elk Creek for the Town of Newcastle

SGM's team of engineers has decades of experience providing engineering services for a wide range of hydrologic and hydraulic projects of all scales.

Services

• Dam design and permitting
• Intake design
• River basin modeling
• Channel design and restoration

Projects

• Meridian Lake Park Dam
• Granby WTP (1-mgd) surface water intake structure on river bank with dam on Fraser River, 1994
• Silt WTP (2.5-mgd) off-channel diversion inlet with surface water intake structure, 2006
• New Castle WTP Intake Improvements
• Snowmass Employee Erosion Control Dam