Smith Reservoir (Costilla County, Colorado)

Smith Reservoir is located in Costilla County, Colorado, south of Blanca in the San Luis Valley. The reservoir is owned by the Trinchera Irrigation Company.[2]

Smith Reservoir
Looking across the reservoir towards Blanca Peak
Smith Reservoir
Location in Colorado
LocationCostilla County, Colorado
Coordinates37°23′34″N 105°31′50″W[1]
Typereservoir
Primary inflowsTrinchera Creek
Sangre de Cristo Creek
Ute Creek
and several other smaller creeks
Primary outflowsTrinchera Creek
Managing agencyTrinchera Irrigation Company[2]
DesignationSmith Reservoir State Wildlife Area
Built1914 (1914)[3]
Water volume14,058 acre⋅ft (17,340,000 m3)[3]
Surface elevation7,716 ft (2,352 m)[1]
FrozenFreezes in winter

Dam

The rockfill dam, Smith Dam,[4] was built in 1914 and — according to the National Inventory of Dams — stores 14,058 acre⋅ft (17,340,000 m3) of water.[3] It impounds Trinchera Creek. Sangre de Cristo Creek and several smaller creeks also flow into the reservoir; prior to the reservoir's construction, Sangre de Cristo Creek had its confluence with Trinchera Creek here.

State wildlife area

The lake and the land immediately surrounding it are also designated as the Smith Reservoir State Wildlife Area. It offers trout fishing, waterfowl hunting, and camping.[5]

References
  1. "Smith Reservoir". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. The Trinchera Irrigation Company at the Wayback Machine (archived 5 August 2018)
  3. "Smith Dam". National Inventory of Dams. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 2018-07-12. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  4. "Smith Dam". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  5. "Smith Reservoir State Wildlife Area" (PDF). Colorado Parks & Wildlife. 2019-03-05. Retrieved 2020-06-07.


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