A Ditch in Time

A Ditch in Time
Author: Patricia Nelson Limerick
Publisher: Fulcrum Publishing
Total Pages: 315
Release: 2016-05-01
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 155591764X

Tracing the origins and growth of the Denver Water Department, this study of water and its unique role and history in the West, as well as in the nation, raises questions about the complex relationship among cities, suburbs, and rural areas, allowing us to consider this precious resource and its past, present, and future with both optimism and realism.

Estimating the Value of Water-Use Efficiency in the Intermountain West

Estimating the Value of Water-Use Efficiency in the Intermountain West
Author: David G. Groves
Publisher: Rand Corporation
Total Pages: 89
Release: 2008-01-16
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0833044427

This report presents an economic framework for estimating a water agency's avoided costs and environmental benefits of increasing water-use efficiency. The report demonstrates this framework by evaluating the benefits of Denver Water's efficiency programs and utilizes an exploratory modeling approach to accommodate significant uncertainty. The analysis highlights the importance of considering both long- and short-run costs and benefits.

The Great Divide

The Great Divide
Author: Stephen Grace
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 217
Release: 2015-08-03
Genre: History
ISBN: 1442247266

Written by Stephen Grace, the companion book to The Great Divide, a film by Havey Productions, is a sweeping, magnificently illustrated story of Colorado water from the region’s first inhabitants to the incoming settlers and developers to modern environmentalists. Times and places are covered from the archaeological remains of ancient Native American reservoirs, the first and longest operating water right in Colorado, important innovations in irrigated agriculture, the stunning dams that create reservoirs for storage and recreation, and the natural beauty of Colorado’s wild places. The book, based on the film, will be a natural source for viewers who seek additional knowledge beyond the film, but it will also stand alone for readers who desire a basic but engaging entrance into the world of Colorado water. A vast array of breathtaking photographs, both archival and contemporary serve as attractive illustrations and a supplemental way to tell the story, along with descriptive captions.

Dam Nation

Dam Nation
Author: Stephen Grace
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 363
Release: 2013-05-07
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 076278587X

In the scramble to claim water rights in the West during the fevered days of early emigration and expansion, running out of water was rarely a concern, and the dam building fever that transformed the West in the 19th and 20th centuries created a map of the region that may be unsustainable. Throughout the arid American West, metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Denver need water. These cities are growing, but water supplies are dwindling. Scientists agree that the West is heating up and drying out, leading to future water shortages that will pose a challenge to existing laws. Dam Nation looks first to the past, to the stories of the California gold rush and the earliest attempts by men to shape the landscape and tame it, takes us to the “Great American Desert” and the settlement of the west under the theory that "rain follows the plow," and then takes on the ongoing legal and moral battles in the West. Author Stephen Grace, is a novelist, a storyteller, and the author of several non-fiction books on Colorado. He weaves the facts into a compelling narrative that informs, entertains, and tells an important story.