High above Alma, Colorado Springs Utilities is eyeing a major expansion of Montgomery Reservoir that would more than double the lake’s storage and shift how West Slope water is moved to thirsty Front Range taps. The utility says the project is designed to grab more of those big spring runoff years and stash the water for leaner times as snowpack and runoff grow more erratic. The idea has already kicked off local outreach and will need a full slate of federal, state, and county approvals before anyone starts moving dirt.
What the project would do
Under the proposal, Colorado Springs Utilities would boost Montgomery Reservoir’s capacity from about 5,699 acre-feet to roughly 13,799 acre-feet, increasing the average annual yield by about 4,000 acre-feet, according to Colorado Springs Utilities. The utility says that extra carryover storage would let it bank water in high-runoff years and better time deliveries through the Blue River pipeline to customers in the Pikes Peak region.
Permitting and local outreach
Park County has posted project details and, on April 9, hosted a public open house in Alma to walk residents through the plan. The county page states that Colorado Springs Utilities expects to submit federal, state, and local permit applications in 2026, with decisions possible in 2026–27 and construction forecast between 2028 and 2032, according to Park County. County documents also note that recreation at the reservoir would be shut down during construction and that last year’s preliminary geotechnical work triggered temporary road closures. Local officials say they intend to keep scheduling outreach meetings with neighbors as formal applications come in.
Why utilities say they need more storage
Water managers argue that high-elevation carryover storage lets them catch runoff when it shows up and lose less water to evaporation than at lower reservoirs, which they see as a useful hedge as the Colorado River Basin faces long-term drops in inflows. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has warned that post-2026 operating rules will have to reckon with lower reservoir levels and new management choices, and federal drought trackers show below-average runoff forecasts in parts of the Upper Basin this year, according to Drought.gov. That hydrologic backdrop is a central reason utilities give for trying to lock in more storage now.
Local reaction and environmental concerns
Local watershed groups and regional stakeholders are paying close attention. The Blue River Watershed Group lists Montgomery Reservoir and related projects on its State of the Blue River agenda ahead of a May 18 forum. County meeting notes and local reporting show residents, ranchers, and outdoor recreation advocates raising questions about potential impacts on fishing, wildlife habitat, and road access during drilling and construction, as detailed by High Country Advocate. Expect more pointed questions as the plans move from concept to permit paperwork.
Legal and water-rights issues
Colorado Springs Utilities says a 2024 Memorandum of Agreement with six West Slope providers resolved conditional storage rights and set terms that are intended to support permitting. State filings also spell out volumetric conveyance limits for the Hoosier Tunnel that could influence how the project operates and what conditions regulators attach, according to Colorado Springs Utilities and a filing with the CWCB. Those legal and water-rights details are likely to be front and center as districts and stakeholders weigh the tradeoffs.
Next steps
According to Park County’s project page, Colorado Springs Utilities plans to file permit applications this year and anticipates regulatory review and public comment stretching through 2026–27, with construction not expected to begin until later in the decade. Residents looking for more detail can hear officials discuss Montgomery Reservoir and related plans at the Blue River Watershed Group’s May 18 State of the Blue River event, where the enlargement is on the agenda.
