Rio Grande Dam

Rio Grande Dam is a dam in Hinsdale County, Colorado impounding the Rio Grande. Built between 1910 and 1914 by the San Luis Valley Irrigation District to store water for agriculture in the San Luis Valley, Rio Grande Dam is an earth and rock fill dam 111 ft (34 m) high and 550 ft (170 m) long.[1] The dam impounds the Rio Grande Reservoir, with a capacity of 52,000 acre⋅ft (64,000,000 m3).[2]

The dam and reservoir are situated at an elevation of 9,449 ft (2,880 m) about 20 mi (32 km) southwest of Creede, several miles below the headwaters of the Rio Grande.[3]

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Rio Grande Dam is to provide irrigation water to the San Luis Valley. The water stored in the reservoir behind the dam is used to irrigate over 60,000 acres of farmland in the valley. The dam also provides water for municipal and industrial use in the area.[4]

Recreation

The Rio Grande Dam and reservoir are also popular recreational destinations. The reservoir provides opportunities for fishing, boating, and swimming. The surrounding area is home to several campgrounds, hiking trails, and scenic drives.[5]

See also

References
  1. "Rio Grande Dam and Reservoir Rehabilitation". Deere & Ault Consultants, Inc. Retrieved 2013-06-13.
  2. Hildner, Matt (2011-08-20). "Rio Grande River basin: The San Luis Valley Irrigation District is looking for ways to fund reservoir repairs". Pueblo Chieftain. Retrieved 2013-06-13.
  3. USGS Topo Maps for United States (Map). Cartography by United States Geological Survey. ACME Mapper. Retrieved 2013-06-13.
  4. Ward, Frank A.; Michelsen, Ari M.; DeMouche, Leeann (2007-02-12). "Barriers to Water Conservation in the Rio Grande Basin1". JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association. 43 (1): 237–253. doi:10.1111/j.1752-1688.2007.00019.x. ISSN 1093-474X.
  5. https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/riogrande/recreation/recarea/?recid=28964&actid=29. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)


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