The Thornton Water Project is a pipeline that will bring water purchased by Thornton in the 1980s through Larimer, Weld and Adams counties to the city of Thornton.
This pipeline project will not divert additional water from the Poudre River. This water has been diverted from the river and used for farming within the Water Supply and Storage Company’s irrigation system for over a century.
Thornton will finish construction of this project by 2027 at the earliest.
While the final, exact location has not yet been finalized for the entire project, we are working through the land use and permitting process in Larimer and Weld counties.
In 2020, construction began on a portion of the pipeline in the towns of Windsor and Johnstown. While we expect some temporary inconvenience during construction, we are committed to restoring private and public property to pre-construction conditions or better.
READ OUR FAQsSince Thornton’s acquisitions of farms and water, Thornton has operated under a good neighbor policy of working with farmers, residents, businesses, and governmental entities to effectively manage its properties and provide benefits to the Weld and Larimer County communities. Thornton’s contributions to the community include:
Since 1986, Thornton has contributed over $17 million to the local Weld and Larimer County economies through its Agricultural Stewardship Office operations, which include activities such as irrigation system maintenance, including upgrading pipelines and the replacement of diversion boxes that were originally placed into service in the 1950’s, metering of wells and then a strict rotation on those meters to assure accuracy of water delivery; tree trimming/removal of old cottonwoods; and various plumbing and electrical repairs. For the 2021 irrigation season, Thornton has allocated funding for these activities that will utilize the services of Northern Colorado vendors.
The current 2020 Comprehensive Plan continues the tradition started in 1975 to clearly state our vision and expectations for Thornton’s future….Without a reliable water supply, our community cannot provide the housing to allow our children, grandchildren and seniors to stay in this community; new businesses to develop good paying jobs for our residents and contribute to our economy; existing businesses to expand and prosper; or provide the financial resources to enhance our quality of life and amenities. That is why Thornton acquired the water shares in the Water Supply and Storage Company in the mid-1980s and obtained water court approval of our plan so that we can secure the water resources needed to achieve our Comprehensive Plan for Thornton’s future…
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