Monitoring Plan

The BMW is one of the most monitored watersheds in Colorado. The S. Platte River runs through the heart of the watershed. All pipes, drains, and ditches lead to this river corridor through the Denver metro area. SPCURE (South Platte Coalition for Urban River Evaluation) is an organization of point source dischargers that coordinate water quality monitoring from Chatfield Reservoir to Platteville. This group monitors the river on the first and third week of each month.

The ditches, inlets, and outlets to Barr and Milton are monitored regularly by FRICO. All in-reservoir monitoring is conducted by Metro Wastewater Reclamation District. Sample by FRICO and Metro are conducted on the second and fourth week of each month from March to October and then monthly November to February.

Reservoir sampling includes collecting water samples from the 1-meter depth and one meter from the sediments. A multi-parameter probe records DO, temperature, pH, turbidity, and conductivity from surface to bottom, every half meter.

Special studies occur yearly to help with implementing the TMDL and the watershed plan. Studies include:

Limnocorrals 2011 – 2014

Carp Removal 2014

In-canal Treatment Study 2014

%d