16 Dams to Explore in Colorado

Bear Creek Dam is a dam on the confluence of Bear Creek and Turkey Creek within the city limits of Lakewood, Colorado, constructed and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for flood control to the greater Denver Metropolitan Area.There are several miles of multiple-use trails to explore on foot, bicycle or horseback, a Visitor Center featuring displays and Naturalist Programs, a swim beach and marina with boat rentals, and a 47 site campground with electrical hook ups.

Big Beaver Reservoir is a man-made reservoir in Rio Blanco County, Colorado. The reservoir was created in 1975 by damming the Big Beaver Creek. The reservoir is used for irrigation, flood control, and recreation. The reservoir has a capacity of 35,000 acre-feet and a surface area of 1,280 acres. The dam is an earth-fill dam with a height of 70 feet and a length of 1 mile. The reservoir is owned and operated by the Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District.

Blue Mesa Dam is on the Gunnison river about 30 miles below Gunnison, and 1.5 miles below Sapinero, Colorado. Blue Mesa Dam and reservoir are part of the Bureau of Reclamation's Wayne N. Aspinall Unit of the Colorado River Storage Project, which retains the waters of the Colorado River and its tributaries for agricultural and municipal use in the American Southwest. The dam has a volume of 3,080,000 cubic yards and the spillway intake structure has two radial gates.

This is the first major dam in the U.S. to incorporate the gravity arch, and upon completion it was the highest gravity arch stone masonry dam in the world. It is the key structure in Denver's water supply. it is also a designated a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

Clinton Gulch Dam is a reservoir in Summit County. The dam was built in 1978 and the reservoir has a capacity of 38,000 acre-feet. The primary purpose of the dam is to store water for the city of Denver, but it also provides flood control and recreation. The reservoir is open to fishing, camping, and picnicking, and there are several hiking trails in the area. Clinton Gulch Dam is one of the many reservoirs in the Denver metropolitan area that helps to provide water for the growing population.

Crawford Dam impounds water for Crawford Reservoir in Delta County, Colorado about a mile south of the town of Crawford. The earthen dam was completed in 1962 by the United States Bureau of Reclamation with a height of 162 feet and 580 feet long at its crest. It impounds Iron Creek for irrigation flood control, one element of the Smith Fork Project. The reservoir is encompassed within Crawford State Park with Park Headquarters located on a peninsula along the northeastern shore.

The earthen dam is a project of the United States Bureau of Reclamation and was completed in 1963, at 284 feet high and 1,360 feet long at its crest. The dam impounds the Florida River for flood control and irrigation water storage, operated by the local Florida Water Conservancy District. 120 kW of hydroelectric power is generated here.

Lemon Dam is a zoned earthfill structure with a structural height of 284 feet and a crest length of 1,360 feet. This beautiful reservoir offers a wealth of incredible outdoor activities to enjoy while vacationing. The dam impounds the Florida River for flood control and irrigation water storage, operated by the local Florida Water Conservancy District. 120 kW of hydroelectric power is generated here.

Morrow Point Dam is a concrete arch dam on the Gunnison River in Montrose County, which was built between 1963 and 1968 by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for the purpose of generating hydroelectric power. The reservoir is used for irrigation, recreation, and hydroelectric power generation. The dam's power plant has a capacity of 72 megawatts. In addition to its main purpose of generating hydroelectric power, the Morrow Point Dam also helps to regulate water levels in the Gunnison River.

Pueblo Reservoir is a man-made lake in southern Colorado. It is located, about 90 miles south of Denver. The reservoir was created in 1975 by the construction of the Pueblo Dam on the Arkansas River. The lake has a capacity of 477,000 acre-feet and a surface area of 11,100 acres. It is used for recreation, irrigation, and water supply. The reservoir is home to a variety of fishes and the Pueblo Reservoir State Park offers camping, picnicking, boating, fishing, and hiking.

Rifle Gap Dam is a dam in Garfield County, Colorado, about five and a half miles north of Rifle. The clear water at Rifle Gap Reservoir is excellent for scuba diving. Other water activities include boating, fishing, swimming, waterskiing, and windsurfing. It impounds East Rifle Creek and West Rifle Creek about 400 feet feet upstream from their previous point of confluence. The dam was built for irrigation water storage.

Shadow Mountain Damis a zoned earth-fill dam on the Colorado River, which is located approximately .8 miles upstream from the alpine glacial limit. It is a holding reservoir for water pumped up from Lake Granby just to the south through the Granby Pumping Plant and Canal. Shadow Mountain Lake is connected by a short channel to the natural Grand Lake.

Sugar Loaf Dam is located on the Lake Fork of the Arkansas River, approximately 5 miles west of Leadville, Colorado. It has a height of 135 feet feet and is over 2,000 feet long at its crest. Turquoise Lake is the reservoir created by the dam. The lake and its surrounding land provide various recreational activities for visitors in both the summer and winter.

Taylor Park Dam is on the Taylor River, a tributary of the Gunnison River. The dam is a zoned earthfill structure 206 feet high, with a crest length of 675 feet and a volume of 1,115,000 cubic yards. It creates a reservoir with a storage capacity of 106,200 acre-feet. Available fish species in the reservoir include rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout, mackinaw, kokanee, northern pike, and brook trout in the tributaries.

Twin Lakes Dam is a dam in Lake County, Colorado, about 13 miles south of Leadville. The earthen dam was constructed in 1978 by the United States Bureau of Reclamation with a height of 53 feet and a length at its crest of 3150 feet. It has a surface area of 2700 acres and a maximum capacity of 141,000 acre-feet.

Vallecito Dam is on the Pine River, 18 miles northeast of Durango. The dam is a zoned earthfill structure 162 feet high and 4,010 feet long.It impounds the Los Pinos River for irrigation water storage. The dam is owned by the Bureau and is operated by the local Pine River Irrigation District. Recreational opportunities include fishing, hunting, boating, camping and hiking.