Homestake Trans-Divide Water Supply Project

The project diverts water from the Colorado western slopes of the Continental Divide to the cities of Aurora and Colorado Springs on the eastern slopes. Average annual delivery is 70,800 acre-ft net, with maximum rate of delivery 150 cfs. The collection system includes diversion structures and pipelines, terminating in the 45,000 acre-ft Homestake Reservoir. This is impounded by a 250 ft high rockfill dam with asphalt concrete facing. The stored water is delivered to the headwaters of the Arkansas River on the east slope through a 5 1/2-mile tunnel. It is subsequently rediverted into a 50-mile 66-in. diam pipeline, for delivery to a terminal point in the South Platte river basin. Both gravity and pumping systems were considered for the delivery line; the system finally adopted has a 700-ft pumping lift. The pipeline uses pre-stressed noncylinder pipe for heads of up to 500 ft, and steel pipe for higher heads.