It has long been recognized that the key variable affecting the quality of urban life and growth in the Rocky Mountain and Desert West is water. Accordingly, any city-building enterprise in these areas must be informed by a sustainability ethic that centers on water. Our research topic is the water conservation values, policies, strategies and technologies that have been identified by Front Range planners and developers as important for guiding urban growth in the region. We seek to evaluate the efficacy of these values and practices for producing sustainable urbanism along the Front Range.