A leaky golf course became a water-supply project.
Cattails Golf Course in Alamosa, Colorado, replaced more than 10,000 feet of failing pipe as part of a $1.3 million irrigation overhaul. Weather sensors, adjustable nozzles, smart controls, and individually managed sprinkler heads now allow staff to apply water with far greater precision.
The improvements eliminated an estimated 18% system water loss and are saving about 14 acre-feet annually—roughly 4.6 million gallons. Instead of leaking into the ground, that water remains in the Rio Grande system, supporting river health, recreation, and resilience in a high-desert community that averages only about seven inches of precipitation a year.
A $500,000 WaterSMART grant from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation helped Alamosa replace infrastructure the city could not readily afford on its own. WaterNow assisted the city in pursuing the federal funding.
The project shows how conservation can function as a source of supply: recover water already available, improve a public recreation asset, and reduce pressure on a river central to the community.
Resilience in the Rockies is produced by waterloop in collaboration with WaterNow and made possible in part by a grant from the Colorado Water Conservation Board.
Thanks to series sponsors PCL Construction, Norris Design, Merrick, and the City of Greeley.
waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet exploring solutions for water sustainability. Visit https://www.waterloop.org/
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