Engineering & Capital Projects
Water Asset Management
Water asset management is another function of the Engineering Division. The Assistant City Engineer is responsible for managing the City’s complex water rights portfolio. This includes purchasing water rights and planning and building the facilities to transport and store raw water. Careful planning and management ensures that our water portfolio is adequate for future growth and in times of water shortage or drought.
Prior to the acquisition of Waneka Reservoir in the late 1970’s, the City had no raw water storage facilities. In the early 1980’s, purchase of stock in Base Line Reservoir increased our storage capacity. By 1997, Lafayette owned controlling shares of Base Line Reservoir. The Goosehaven Reservoir project, completed in 1995, brought us to our current storage level of 5,303 acre feet.
Since the droughts of 1976 and 2002, the City of Lafayette has aggressively pursued water rights acquisition, successfully petitioned for inclusion in the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District (NCWCD). This water can be used during times of drought to supplement the snowmelt runoff Lafayette receives from South Boulder Creek and Boulder Creek.
Capital Construction Projects
Whether the project is street reconstruction, a water line, sewer line replacement, sidewalks, a new park, a pump house, additions to the water treatment plant, or an addition to the recreation center, the Engineering staff provides analysis and oversight to make sure the finished project is safe, functional, and durable.
Recent projects include the 75th Street Pipeline, a $5 million project which carries water from above the City of Boulder wastewater treatment plant into Goosehaven Reservoir, the Simpson Street Paving Project, the West Trunk 2 Sewer Line Replacement, and the 2008 City-Wide Paving Project.
Traffic Engineering and Signal Control
The Engineering Division oversees the timing and maintenance of our City traffic signals. However, the signals on Hwy 287, Hwy 7 and Hwy 42 are maintained and set by the Colorado Department of Transportation.
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