Fire Adapted Park County · Projects

Pond Project Fire Suppression Water Resources Program

Many of the ponds Park County relies on for wildfire suppression were never issued formal water rights, putting them at risk of being ordered drained by the state. FAPCo is working with local fire districts and Park County to survey, engineer, and rebuild these ponds so they meet state compliance requirements and remain available when they’re needed most.

In Progress Project kick-off scheduled

See project documents ↓

In partnership with Platte Canyon Fire Protection District · Elk Creek Fire Protection District · Park County Board of County Commissioners · Park County Land & Water Trust Fund · W. W. Wheeler & Associates · Dietzler Construction

Why this project matters

Preserving the water we already depend on.

Fire suppression ponds have long been a critical resource for rural and mountain fire districts across the Front Range — but many were built before modern water rights administration, and don’t hold a legitimate right to the water they store. As downstream water rights holders make administrative calls, unprotected ponds can be ordered drained, leaving firefighters without a nearby water source when a wildfire breaks out.

FAPCo, Platte Canyon FPD, and Elk Creek FPD partnered with the Park County Board of County Commissioners to identify at-risk ponds, survey their condition and storage capacity, and pursue a path to bring them into compliance — funded through the Park County Land & Water Trust Fund. The goal: keep these fire suppression resources available for the community long-term, rather than losing them to drainage orders.

Project status

Where things stand.

✓

Pond Identification & Water Rights Review

36 candidate ponds surveyed; 15 identified without water rights by the Colorado Division of Water Resources.

✓

Engineering Design & Bathymetric Surveys

Site evaluations, storage-capacity surveys, and compliance engineering completed by W. W. Wheeler & Associates.

✓

Construction Bidding

Bids for the Burland Pond Complex, KZ Ranch Pond, and Romer Ranch Pond projects closed February 27, 2026.

✓

Contractor Selection

A contractor has been selected for construction.

✓

Funding Secured

Our grateful thanks to the Land & Water Trust Fund and the Board of County Commissioners of Park County.

●

Construction — Kick-Off Meeting Scheduled

A project kick-off meeting with the contractor is scheduled ahead of construction beginning.

Ponds in this phase

Four ponds moving through construction.

These ponds are included in the current construction round.

Burland / Roland Valley

Burland Pond #1

Construction schedule being developed

Burland / Roland Valley

Burland Pond #2

Construction schedule being developed

CR43 Service Area

KZ Ranch Pond

Construction schedule being developed

CR43 Service Area — Deer Creek

Romer Ranch Pond

Construction schedule being developed

A few additional ponds identified earlier in the project — including Messer Pond, Elk Creek Highlands Pond, Nichols Pond, and Burland Pond #3 — are not part of this construction round. Their current status will be added here once confirmed.

Project documents

Construction documents.

Documents from the Burland Pond Complex, KZ Ranch Pond, and Romer Ranch Pond construction projects.

Construction Drawings & Specifications

DRAWING

Burland Pond #1 — Construction Drawings

SPEC

Burland Pond #1 — Construction Specifications

DRAWING

Burland Pond #2 — Construction Drawings

SPEC

Burland Pond #2 — Construction Specifications

DRAWING

KZ Ranch Pond — Construction Drawings

SPEC

KZ Ranch Pond — Construction Specifications

DRAWING

Romer Ranch Pond — Construction Drawings

SPEC

Romer Ranch Pond — Construction Specifications

Project Documents & Meeting Notes

To support transparency for funders, partners, and interested residents, Fire Adapted Park County will post key project documents here as they become available.

LETTER

Thank You Letter — Land & Water Trust Fund & Park County BOCC

Additional documents will be posted here as they become available, including status meeting minutes, engineering memos, and updated construction schedules.

During construction

What residents can expect.

During the construction period, residents near project sites may notice:

Construction equipment and contractor vehicles
Short-term access adjustments near pond locations
Noise typical of earthwork and grading
Coordination with adjacent property owners as needed

All work is planned to minimize disruption and maintain safe access for residents.