Tapped: The Denver metro region sits at the center of one of the American West’s most complex and consequential water challenges. This series examines the interconnected systems that determine how the region secures, stores, and conserves its water while navigating the competing demands of fast‑growing urban communities and the increasingly unpredictable mountain snowpack that underpins the entire system.

With snowpack feeding Clear Creek described as “pretty abysmal,” Golden officials are enforcing stricter outdoor watering limits and preparing for the possibility of several consecutive dry years.

Golden gets most of its water from direct flow rights in Clear Creek, which runs through the city. The water is then stored in the Upper and Lower Urad reservoirs and the Guanella Reservoir.

Because Clear Creek can be an unpredictable source, Golden has long operated under a Waste of Water policy that limits outdoor watering. Those rules are being enforced more strictly now that the city entered a Stage 1 drought on May 1. The restrictions allow outdoor watering two days per week and prohibit watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., a slight tightening from the city’s usual three‑day schedule under the WOW policy.

Golden also adopted a drought management plan in 2023. Still, snowpack feeding Clear Creek and the city’s reservoirs is “pretty abysmal” this year, said Brian Tracy, the city’s deputy director of public works.

He noted that while creek flows have been slightly above average, the city cannot rely on that. Moisture levels are closer to normal, but warmer‑than‑usual winter temperatures and low snowpack are creating unstable conditions.

Tracy said the city uses data and past dry‑year patterns to ensure it conserves enough water, planning for the possibility of three consecutive drought years. He added that residents generally support conservation efforts, describing Golden as a community with a strong environmental ethic.

Water rates have not increased because of the drought, but the City Council approved a 6.2% increase in water and wastewater utility rates at the start of the year. The adjustment helps maintain service quality and fund major future investments, including required upgrades at the Molson Coors Wastewater Treatment Plant, where Golden’s wastewater is processed.

Tracy said no major new infrastructure projects are planned, though ongoing maintenance — such as replacing aging waterlines and valves — remains essential.

Coors Brewing Co., a major presence in Golden, also draws heavily from Clear Creek. According to Water Education Colorado, the brewery uses about 2.7 billion gallons of Clear Creek water each year, including roughly 782 million gallons for its products and 2 billion gallons for brewing processes. Nearly 95% of that process water is cleaned and returned to the creek.

“They’re not really outdoor irrigating. Every drop they’re using goes into something. They’re not really wasting water,” Tracy said.