List of dam removals in Colorado

This is a list of dams in Colorado that have been removed as physical impediments to free-flowing rivers or streams.

Completed removals

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Dam[1] Height Year removed Location Watercourse Watershed Notes
Mt Shavano Dam (Salida Lowhead Dam)[2] 15 ft (4.6 m) 2023 Chaffee County
38°33′06″N 106°01′48″W / 38.5518°N 106.0301°W / 38.5518; -106.0301 (Mt Shavano Dam (Salida Lowhead Dam))
Arkansas River Arkansas River Water diversion for fish hatchery. Owned by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Riss East 56 ft (17 m) 2016 Teller County
38°46′59″N 105°13′34″W / 38.783°N 105.226°W / 38.783; -105.226 (Riss East)
Tributary to Barnard Creek Recreation and fishing dams.
Riss North 38 ft (12 m) 2016 Teller County
38°47′31″N 105°13′59″W / 38.792°N 105.233°W / 38.792; -105.233 (Riss North)
Riss South 50 ft (15 m) 2016 Teller County
38°47′06″N 105°14′20″W / 38.785°N 105.239°W / 38.785; -105.239 (Riss South)
Dotson and Enlargement Dam 24 ft (7.3 m) 2015 Pueblo County
38°07′41″N 104°11′49″W / 38.128°N 104.197°W / 38.128; -104.197 (Dotson and Enlargement Dam)
Huerfano River Irrigation dam.
Cucharas #5 Dam 135 ft (41 m) 2019 Huerfano County
37°45′N 104°36′W / 37.75°N 104.6°W / 37.75; -104.6 (Cucharas #5 Dam)
Cucharas 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.[3] At the time, it was the third-largest dam ever to be removed in the United States.[4]
Idylwilde Dam 57 ft (17 m) 2013 Larimer County
40°25′44″N 105°18′43″W / 40.4288°N 105.312°W / 40.4288; -105.312 (Idylwilde Dam)
Big Thompson River Big Thompson River Hydropower dam owned by the City of Loveland.
Carriage Hills #2 Dam 10 ft (3.0 m) 2017 Estes Park
40°21′N 105°30′W / 40.35°N 105.5°W / 40.35; -105.5 (Carriage Hills #2 Dam)
Fish Creek Recreation dam owned by the Town of Estes Park.
Glacier #1 Dam 11 ft (3.4 m) 1985 Rocky Mountain National Park
40°30′18″N 105°35′49″W / 40.505°N 105.597°W / 40.505; -105.597 (Glacier #1 Dam)
North Fork Big Thompson River
Chipeta Dam 5 ft (1.5 m) 2006 Hotchkiss
38°47′04″N 107°44′38″W / 38.7845°N 107.7439°W / 38.7845; -107.7439 (Chipeta Dam)
North Fork Gunnison River Gunnison River Roller dam owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Hidden Treasure Dam 2019 Lake City
38°01′16″N 107°22′44″W / 38.021°N 107.3788°W / 38.021; -107.3788 (Hidden Treasure Dam)
Henson Creek Mining hydropower dam.
Lake George Diversion Dam (Lower Eleven Mile Dam)[2] 25 ft (7.6 m) 2023 Park County
38°58′05″N 105°22′01″W / 38.9681°N 105.367°W / 38.9681; -105.367 (Lake George Diversion Dam (Lower Eleven Mile Dam))
South Platte River South Platte River Water supply dam owned by the U.S. Forest Service. Previously owned by Colorado Springs Utilities.
Pear Lake Dam 28 ft (8.5 m) 1988 Allenspark
40°10′37″N 105°37′24″W / 40.177°N 105.6233°W / 40.177; -105.6233 (Pear Lake Dam)
Cony Creek
Dewey No. 1 15 ft (4.6 m) 2014 Denver
39°48′01″N 104°59′17″W / 39.8004°N 104.988°W / 39.8004; -104.988 (Dewey No. 1)
Municipal water storage dam.
Lower Church Lake Dam 4 ft (1.2 m) 2015 Fort Lupton
39°53′20″N 105°10′44″W / 39.889°N 105.179°W / 39.889; -105.179 (Lower Church Lake Dam)
Big Dry Creek Irrigation and water supply dam.
Stanley Canyon Dam 30 ft (9.1 m) 2018 El Paso County
38°59′N 104°56′W / 38.99°N 104.93°W / 38.99; -104.93 (Stanley Canyon Dam)
Stanley Canyon Creek Owned by Colorado Springs Utilities.
Unnamed Dam #1 (Lamborn #1) 20 ft (6.1 m) 2002 Fort Morgan
40°22′00″N 103°56′06″W / 40.3668°N 103.935°W / 40.3668; -103.935 (Unnamed Dam #1 (Lamborn #1))
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°36′18″N 105°06′00″W / 40.6051°N 105.1°W / 40.6051; -105.1 (Josh Ames Diversion Dam)
Cache la Poudre River
Bluebird Dam 56 ft (17 m) 1990 Rocky Mountain National Park
40°11′33″N 105°39′09″W / 40.1926°N 105.6526°W / 40.1926; -105.6526 (Bluebird Dam)
Ouzel Creek Water storage dam.
Sand Beach Dam 25 ft (7.6 m) 1988 Allenspark
40°13′02″N 105°36′07″W / 40.2171°N 105.602°W / 40.2171; -105.602 (Sand Beach Dam)
Sand Beach Creek
Hall Dam 40 ft (12 m) 2017 Jefferson County
39°46′N 105°14′W / 39.76°N 105.24°W / 39.76; -105.24 (Hall Dam)
Clear Creek Irrigation and recreation dam owned by Jefferson County Open Space.
Polaris Dam 22 ft (6.7 m) 2018 Glenwood Springs
39°29′N 107°04′W / 39.49°N 107.06°W / 39.49; -107.06 (Polaris Dam)
Tributary to Cattle Creek
No Name #15 Dam 15 ft (4.6 m)
No Name #17 Dam 15 ft (4.6 m)
No Name #22 Dam 15 ft (4.6 m)
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

References

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  1. ^ Rivers, American (13 February 2023). "American Rivers Dam Removal Database". Figshare. American Rivers. doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.5234068.v10. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  2. ^ a b Rivers, American (12 February 2024). "American Rivers Dam Removal Database". Figshare. American Rivers. doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.5234068.v11. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  3. ^ Perry, Mark; McCormick, Bill; Bennington, Paul; Lopez, Phillip. "The Cucharas #5 Dam Removal; a Story of Determination, Persistence and Partners" (PDF). Dam Safety 2020 Abstracts. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  4. ^ East, Amy E.; Harrison, Lee R.; Smith, Douglas P.; Logan, Joshua B.; Bond, Rosealea M. (30 June 2023). "Six years of fluvial response to a large dam removal on the Carmel River, California, USA". Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. 48 (8): 1487–1501. doi:10.1002/esp.5561. ISSN 0197-9337.