Why this project matters

Preserving the water we already depend on.

Fire suppression ponds have long been a critical resource for rural and mountain fire districts across the Front Range — but many were built before modern water rights administration, and don’t hold a legitimate right to the water they store. As downstream water rights holders make administrative calls, unprotected ponds can be ordered drained, leaving firefighters without a nearby water source when a wildfire breaks out.

FAPCo, Platte Canyon FPD, and Elk Creek FPD partnered with the Park County Board of County Commissioners to identify at-risk ponds, survey their condition and storage capacity, and pursue a path to bring them into compliance — funded through the Park County Land & Water Trust Fund. The goal: keep these fire suppression resources available for the community long-term, rather than losing them to drainage orders.