Logging project meant to to protect Denver water

DENVER – Denver Water will spend $16.5 million on logging to protect the city’s water supply from potential devastating wildfires and erosion from trees killed by pine bark beetles.

Denver Water and the U.S. Forest Service will split the cost of a five-year, $33 million project to cut and remove dead trees in the city’s watershed. Utility and forest service officials are to unveil the plan Saturday.

Denver Water manager Jim Lochhead says the move is an investment that will help prevent problems that will cost much more to deal with. The utility that provides water to 1.3 million metro residents is spending $30 million to dredge the Strontia Springs reservior. Tons of sediment have flowed into the reservoir following two wildfires in the area in the past 14 years.