Larimer County Water Master Plan

Larimer County, Colorado contracted SWCA Environmental Consultants to provide planning support for the county’s Water Master Plan (Plan). The Plan provides Larimer County with a roadmap for implementing actions related to water conservation, watershed protection, environmental and recreation flows, wildfire impacts, floodplain mapping and regulations, stormwater management, flood warning systems, water quality inspections, and emergency management, with a focus on high-risk areas. The Plan also supports the county’s Climate Smart Future Ready Plan strategy.

SWCA worked with Larimer County staff and the community to sharpen the vision for the Plan and refine its goals and objectives through a series of meetings and workshops. The project team supported the development of two stakeholder groups—a technical advisory group and a water advisory group—and facilitated workshops with those groups, as well as with the Board of County Commissioners and Planning Commission, Larimer County advisory boards, and the public.

The project team prepared a map-based risk model utilizing information gathered throughout the Plan development process and with input from the community, along with key strategies to address each identified risk. Recently approved by the Larimer County Boards and Commissions, the Plan will become an element of the Larimer County Comprehensive Plan and will help bolster the county’s strategic planning for water, stormwater, and environmental flows. The full-length Plan and appendices are publicly available on Larimer County’s website.

Larimer County commented, “The Water Master Plan was such an incredible project to work on, bringing together diverse voices to tackle water sustainability in Northern Colorado. The Larimer County team is proud of what all was accomplished in securing partnerships and building trust with some of the region’s key players in the water space. The end product is exceptional and reflects the collaborative effort of everyone involved. We’re excited about the positive impact this work will have on water sustainability in our region and are grateful for SWCA and their subconsultants AE2S for making this project a success.”

The Larimer County Water Master Plan won the Growing Water Smart Award from APA Colorado, The Sonoran Institute, and the Babbit Center for Land and Water Policy in October 2025.