State of Colorado's Douglas County residents are considering the building of a 41m high, 1615-foot-long off stream dam capable of holding 20Mm3 of water. The reservoir is expected to provide an estimated 25,000 people served by the Parker Water and Sanitation District a renewable water source.

If approved, the Rueter-Hess Reservoir would capture water diverted from Cherry Creek and Newlin Gulch during low water-use months and store it for use during periods of drought.

The district expects to have the dam in use by 2005, at a cost of about US$35M.

The US Army Corp of Engineers has been conducting an environmental impact study of the project since 1999, which is expected to be completed by fall.