PRESS STATEMENT: Judge rules that Gross Dam can be built, but reservoir can’t be expanded

May 30, 2025

PRESS STATEMENT

Contact: Gary Wockner, Save The Colorado, 970-218-8310

Boulder County, CO: Late last night, the district court judge in the Gross Dam case ruled that Denver Water can continue construction of Gross Dam. The ruling is posted here: https://savethecolorado.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/207-Order-on-Permanent-Injunction-Regarding-Dam-Construction.pdf

Importantly, the ruling retains the permanent injunction against cutting trees, diverting more water, and expanding the reservoir, while also continuing to vacate the permit for the project and sending the permit process back to the Army Corps for more analysis because of the violations of federal law. Further, the judge’s original 86-page ruling back in Oct. 2024 stays intact.

Save The Colorado’ (lead co-plaintiff) statement:

• “We certainly understand that public safety is an overriding concern given the risk Denver Water created with their half-built dam. Moving forward, the judge’s ruling does retain the permanent injunction against enlarging the reservoir (and prohibits additional diversions of Colorado River water), and the ruling vacates the Clean Water Act permit and sends it back to the Army Corps for further analysis. We will defend this section of the ruling if Denver Water or the Dept of Justice appeals.”

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