List of dam removals in Colorado
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of dams in Colorado that have been removed as physical impediments to free-flowing rivers or streams.
Removals by watershed
Arkansas River
In 2019 the Cucharas Number 5 Dam was removed from the Cucharas River, a tributary of the Huerfano River, itself a tributary of the Arkansas River. This 1910 irrigation dam experienced structural problems throughout its life, including a partial failure in 1987 which resulted in the emergency dynamiting of a spillway. Reconstruction of the dam was proposed in the 2010s but was deemed economically infeasible. Following years of litigation, the State Engineer took emergency control of the dam in 2017 for safety reasons. The state removed it in 2019, recovering the cost in court from the dam's owners.[1] At the time, it was the third-largest dam ever to be removed in the United States.[2]
Completed removals
| Dam[3] | Height | Year removed | Location | Watercourse | Watershed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mt Shavano Dam (Salida Lowhead Dam)[4] | 15 ft (4.6 m) | 2023 | Chaffee County 38.5518°N 106.0301°W |
Arkansas River | Arkansas River |
| Riss East | 56 ft (17 m) | 2016 | Teller County 38.783°N 105.226°W |
Tributary to Barnard Creek | |
| Riss North | 38 ft (12 m) | 2016 | Teller County 38.792°N 105.233°W | ||
| Riss South | 50 ft (15 m) | 2016 | Teller County 38.785°N 105.239°W | ||
| Dotson and Enlargement Dam | 24 ft (7.3 m) | 2015 | Pueblo County 38.128°N 104.197°W |
Huerfano River | |
| Cucharas Number 5 Dam | 135 ft (41 m) | 2019 | Huerfano County 37.75°N 104.6°W |
Cucharas River | |
| Idylwilde Dam | 57 ft (17 m) | 2013 | Larimer County 40.4288°N 105.312°W |
Big Thompson River | Big Thompson River |
| Carriage Hills #2 Dam | 10 ft (3.0 m) | 2017 | Estes Park 40.35°N 105.5°W |
Fish Creek | |
| Glacier #1 Dam | 11 ft (3.4 m) | 1985 | Rocky Mountain National Park 40.505°N 105.597°W |
North Fork Big Thompson River | |
| Chipeta Dam | 5 ft (1.5 m) | 2006 | Hotchkiss 38.7845°N 107.7439°W |
North Fork Gunnison River | Gunnison River |
| Hidden Treasure Dam | 2019 | Lake City 38.021°N 107.3788°W |
Henson Creek | ||
| Lake George Diversion Dam (Lower Eleven Mile Dam)[4] | 25 ft (7.6 m) | 2023 | Park County 38.9681°N 105.367°W |
South Platte River | South Platte River |
| Pear Lake Dam | 28 ft (8.5 m) | 1988 | Allenspark 40.177°N 105.6233°W |
Cony Creek | |
| Dewey No. 1 | 15 ft (4.6 m) | 2014 | Denver 39.8004°N 104.988°W |
||
| Lower Church Lake Dam | 4 ft (1.2 m) | 2015 | Fort Lupton 39.889°N 105.179°W |
Big Dry Creek | |
| Stanley Canyon Dam | 30 ft (9.1 m) | 2018 | El Paso County 38.99°N 104.93°W |
Stanley Canyon Creek | |
| Unnamed Dam #1 (Lamborn #1) | 20 ft (6.1 m) | 2002 | Fort Morgan 40.3668°N 103.935°W |
Tributary to South Platte River | |
| Unnamed Dam #2 | 2002 | Tributary to South Platte River | |||
| Josh Ames Diversion Dam | 6 ft (1.8 m) | 2013 | Fort Collins 40.6051°N 105.1°W |
Cache la Poudre River | |
| Bluebird Dam | 56 ft (17 m) | 1990 | Rocky Mountain National Park 40.1926°N 105.6526°W |
Ouzel Creek | |
| Sand Beach Dam | 25 ft (7.6 m) | 1988 | Allenspark 40.2171°N 105.602°W |
Sand Beach Creek | |
| Hall Dam | 40 ft (12 m) | 2017 | Jefferson County 39.76°N 105.24°W |
Clear Creek | |
| Polaris Dam | 22 ft (6.7 m) | 2018 | Glenwood Springs 39.49°N 107.06°W |
Tributary to Cattle Creek | |
| Toby Wells Pond Dam | 16 ft (4.9 m) | 1989 | |||
| No Name #21 Dam | 1990 | ||||
| No Name #8 Dam | 12 ft (3.7 m) | 1990 |