Antero Reservoir

Antero Reservoir is a reservoir in the US state of Colorado. It was created by the first dam placed on the South Platte River in Park County, central Colorado. It is owned by Denver Water and supplies drinking water to the greater Denver metro region almost 140 miles (230 km) away.

Antero Reservoir
The reservoir from Highway 285.
Antero Reservoir
Antero Reservoir
LocationPark County, Colorado
Coordinates38°59′18″N 105°53′44″W
Typereservoir
Basin countriesUnited States
Surface area2,500 acres (1,000 ha)
Water volume20,000 acre⋅ft (25,000,000 m3)
Surface elevation8,942 ft (2,726 m)

History

Built in 1909, the earthen dam sat on a site believed by geologists to be a dry lake bed some 300 years old. This lake, named Green Lake, lies submerged in Antero Reservoir.[1]

Denver Water acquired the reservoir property in 1924, along with the High Line Canal, and it has remained a part of the Denver Water system since 1924.[2]

The Reservoir was closed in 2002 for five years due to drought. The lake went completely dry, and the Colorado Division of Wildlife, in concert with Denver Water resurrected it in 2007. The Colorado Division of Wildlife re-stocked the lake with rainbow trout, brook trout, cutbow, cutthroat trout, brown trout, and splake.

In 2011, engineers began lowering the water level by two feet due to excess seepage. The dam has leaked since its construction, requiring it to operate under state restrictions.[3]

Beginning in May 2013, Antero reservoir was planned to have been drained because of drought conditions.[4] It was not drained because of substantial snowfall in April 2013.[5] In 2013, a $17 million project to rehabilitate the dam began. The reservoir was then expected to be drained in 2015 for necessary repairs, with re-filling in 2016.[6] In the event, Denver Water began to empty the reservoir in June 2015 for "significant repairs to Antero Dam". [2]

Fishing

The shallowness of this reservoir makes it relatively warm for the location and altitude. This makes for exceptionally large, fast growing fish.[7] Antero Reservoir is owned by Denver Water and overseen by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Because it is not a state park, there are no fees for entry. Fishing is year 'round, with ice fishing in the winter. A valid fishing license is required

Stats

Elevation: 8,942 feet (2,726 m), Capacity: 20,000 acre⋅ft (25,000,000 m3), Surface area: 2,500 acres (1,000 ha).[8]

References
  1. "Antero Reservoir". denverwater.org. Archived from the original on 2013-01-14. Retrieved 2009-11-19.
  2. A look back in time: Antero Reservoir. WaterNews (Report). Denver Water. August 2015. The drained water was either recaptured in a downstream reservoir or sent directly to a water treatment plant.
  3. Pankratz, Howard (23 April 2011). "Water levels at leaking Antero reservoir to be drawn down". Denver Post. Retrieved 23 April 2011.
  4. "Denver Water". denverwater.org. Archived from the original on 2013-04-09. Retrieved 2013-03-25.
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-04-28. Retrieved 2013-04-27.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Antero Reservoir to be drained for dam rehabilitation work". Pikes Peak Television, Inc. Associated Press. 8 January 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-06-08. Retrieved 2009-11-19.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "Antero Reservoir - Fairplay, Colorado - Fishing Report & Map by Fish Explorer". fishexplorer.com.

U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Antero Reservoir

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