%1 http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/ en Carter Lake http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/carter-lake <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Carter Lake</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" about="/users/yongli" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">yongli</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2021-06-28T16:53:37-06:00" title="Monday, June 28, 2021 - 16:53" class="datetime">Mon, 06/28/2021 - 16:53</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'addtoany_standard' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * addtoany-standard--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * addtoany-standard--node.html.twig x addtoany-standard.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/carter-lake" data-a2a-title="Carter Lake"><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=http%3A%2F%2Fcoloradoencyclopedia.org%2Farticle%2Fcarter-lake&amp;title=Carter%20Lake"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a></span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item" id="id-body"><p>Carter Lake is a reservoir located in the foothills northwest of <strong>Berthoud</strong> and southwest of <strong>Loveland</strong>. Created by three dams, it is approximately three miles long, with twelve miles of shoreline, a maximum depth of 180 feet, and a capacity of 112,228 acre-feet. The federal government built the reservoir in 1950–52 as part of the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/colorado%E2%80%93big-thompson-project"><strong>Colorado–Big Thompson Project</strong></a>, and it is the second-largest reservoir in northeast Colorado after <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/horsetooth-reservoir"><strong>Horsetooth Reservoir</strong></a> in <a href="http://www.coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/fort-collins"><strong>Fort Collins</strong></a>.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Carter Lake serves the important function of bringing water from the <a href="http://www.coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/western-slope"><strong>Western Slope</strong></a> to the St. Vrain, <strong>Boulder Creek</strong>, and <a href="http://www.coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/south-platte-river"><strong>South Platte River</strong></a> basins that supply cities such as <a href="http://www.coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/boulder"><strong>Boulder</strong></a>, <a href="http://www.coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/longmont-0"><strong>Longmont</strong></a>, and <a href="http://www.coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/fort-morgan"><strong>Fort Morgan</strong></a>. The <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/bureau-reclamation-colorado"><strong>US Bureau of Reclamation</strong></a> owns the reservoir, while the <strong>Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District</strong> is responsible for operating and maintaining it. The <a href="http://www.coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/larimer-county"><strong>Larimer County</strong></a> Department of Natural Resources manages recreational offerings on the water and more than 1,000 acres of surrounding public lands.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Before the Dams</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>The valley that would become Carter Lake was first a small <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/wetlands-and-riparian-areas"><strong>wetland</strong></a>. Indigenous people—including the <strong>Arapaho</strong>, <strong>Cheyenne</strong>, and <a href="http://www.coloradoencyclopedia.org/search/google/ute"><strong>Ute</strong></a> people—initially occupied the area. They left numerous fire rings on the southern-facing slopes. White immigrants in the area referred to the valley as Carter’s Glade as early as the 1850s. The glade was named after <a href="http://www.coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/homestead"><strong>homesteader</strong></a> Matthew Carter, whose land made up the northern portion, while a small natural lake called Blore Lake occupied the southeastern portion of the present-day reservoir. Carter’s Glade and Blore Lake offered several economic and recreational opportunities during the late nineteenth century. Matthew Carter and his son quarried and burned limestone from the area, which had a variety of uses in agriculture and construction. Ranchers used the area to graze cattle and often clashed with those hoping to hunt the numerous ducks found in the wetlands. Residents in Loveland and Berthoud also established a rock quarry on the east side of the present-day lake for local building projects.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Construction</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>During the 1930s, many rural communities in eastern Colorado suffered from severe drought and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/dust-bowl"><strong>dust storms</strong></a> that devastated agricultural efforts throughout the high plains. From 1933 to 1940, under the <a href="http://www.coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/new-deal-colorado"><strong>New Deal</strong></a>, the Bureau of Reclamation took on many large water development projects , highlighting the important role of the federal government in supporting Colorado’s economy during and after the Depression. In 1937 the Colorado–Big Thompson Project was authorized to bring essential water from west of the Continental Divide to irrigate Colorado’s northeast plains. That same year, the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District was created to be the local partner for the US Bureau of Reclamation on the project. Plans to construct a reservoir in the natural basin in the foothills west of Loveland and Berthoud began in 1937.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Reclamation engineers began construction of Carter Lake shortly after Horsetooth Reservoir (also part of the Colorado–Big Thompson Project) was finished in 1949. Before construction started, at least two buildings, including the Meadow Hollow School, had to be moved from the area (today the school sits in the Berthoud Historical Society’s Pioneer Courtyard). Carter Lake’s construction started in July 1950 and finished in September 1952 at a total cost of $3.7 million. The reservoir is formed by three dams on its eastern side. These dams are made of different types of shale, limestone, and sandstone. Once the land was clear and the dams built, water was pumped from Flatiron Reservoir—which holds water from the headwaters of the <a href="http://www.coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/colorado-river"><strong>Colorado River</strong></a>—to Carter Lake via the 1.4-mile Carter Lake Pressure Tunnel. During construction, many of the workers lived in Loveland, while others opted to live in nearby Berthoud, boosting the small town’s economy.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Adjusting for Growth</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Initially, Carter Lake delivered water primarily to farms during the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/irrigation-colorado"><strong>irrigation</strong></a> season from April to October. As Colorado’s <a href="http://www.coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/front-range"><strong>Front Range</strong></a> population grew, Northern Water had to make adjustments. In 1993 Northern Water began the Southern Water Supply Project to bring water to growing suburbs such as <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/city-and-county-broomfield"><strong>Broomfield</strong></a>. By 1995 the pipeline from Carter Lake south to Louisville, Superior, and Broomfield was complete, and another section of the pipeline brought water east to <strong>Fort Lupton</strong>, Hudson, and Fort Morgan after 1999. Population growth created more demand for year-round deliveries and prompted Northern Water to develop a multitiered outlet for greater operational flexibility in 2008. This outlet brings water year-round from Carter Lake to communities in the southern and central parts of the district’s boundaries, which extend from Boulder to Fort Collins and east along the South Platte River to Sedgwick.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>By the late 2010s, it was clear that even more additions were needed in order to keep up with rapidly growing cities and agriculture in northeast Colorado. Construction on the second phase of the pipeline began in 2018 and finished in February 2020. This pipeline brings water from Carter Lake to the Boulder Reservoir Water Treatment Plant. Today, the Southern Water Supply Project pipeline carries water 110 miles from Carter Lake to cities as far south as Broomfield and east to Fort Morgan.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Carter Lake not only provides water for northern Colorado’s cities and agriculture but also generates electricity for the Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association, which is then marketed to rural customers in southern Larimer County. Northern Water’s Robert V. Trout Hydropower Plant at Carter Lake started operating in May 2012 as the district’s first hydropower project.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Recreation and Wildlife</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Carter Lake provides a variety of recreational opportunities, adding to its versatility as an important resource for northern Coloradans and visitors. Larimer County Parks and Open Lands manages recreation on the lake, which includes fishing, sailing, swimming, scuba diving, and water skiing. Boating is by far the most popular activity for recreation, and visitors have access to three boat launches and a marina. The lake contains a wide variety of fish—including rainbow trout, black crappie, bluegill, and walleye—some of which <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/colorado-parks-and-wildlife"><strong>Colorado Parks and Wildlife</strong></a> stocks yearly. <a href="http://www.coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/mule-deer"><strong>Mule deer</strong></a> and <a href="http://www.coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/mountain-lion"><strong>mountain lions</strong></a> frequent the lakeshore, which also supports <strong>bear</strong> and <a href="http://www.coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/rocky-mountain-elk"><strong>elk</strong></a> populations.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Visitors can camp, hike, and rock climb on the more than 1,000 acres of public land that surround the lake. Nestled in rolling foothills at 5,760 feet above sea level, Carter Lake provides a beautiful location for campers, who can choose from five campgrounds and more than 150 campsites. Public outreach campaigns and a permit system reflect efforts to control the ecological impact of high visitation numbers. The visitor center helps to educate both day users and campers on how to preserve the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, and Larimer County Parks is able to track and limit capacity if needed.</p>&#13; </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-author field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-author"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-author">Author</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-author"><a href="/author/stacker-natalie" hreflang="und">Stacker, Natalie</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-keyword--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-keyword.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-keyword.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-keyword field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-keyword"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-keyword">Keywords</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/carter-lake" hreflang="en">carter lake</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/reservoir" hreflang="en">reservoir</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/berthoud" hreflang="en">berthoud</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/northern-water" hreflang="en">northern water</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/irrigation" hreflang="en">irrigation</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/berthoud-history" hreflang="en">berthoud history</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/larimer-county" hreflang="en">larimer county</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links--inline.html.twig * links--node.html.twig * links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-references-html--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-references-html.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-references-html.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-references-html field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-references-html"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-references-html">References</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-references-html"><p>Bureau of Reclamation, “<a href="https://www.usbr.gov/projects/index.php?id=55">Projects and Facilities: Carter Lake Dam</a>,” n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Colorado Parks and Wildlife, “<a href="https://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Fishery%20Survey%20Summaries/CarterLake.pdf">Carter Lake Fish Survey and Management Data</a>,” 2019.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Mark French, <em>Berthoud: From River Bottom to Bluff</em> (Berthoud, CO: Slim Thompson Publications, 2018).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Larimer County, “<a href="https://www.larimer.gov/naturalresources/parks/carter-lake">Carter Lake</a>,” n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Northern Water, “<a href="https://www.northernwater.org/what-we-do/deliver-water/reservoirs-and-lakes/carter-lake">Carter Lake</a>,” n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Northern Water, “<a href="https://www.northernwater.org/Home/Page/e672068a-75ec-4461-937f-72ce63a42529">Carter Lake Outlet</a>,” n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Northern Water, “<a href="https://www.northernwater.org/Home/Page/99145160-93b4-4273-8146-fab8755d9fa3">Hydropower</a>,” n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Northern Water, “<a href="https://www.northernwater.org/Home/Page/965a88af-204d-478d-a2d5-e3bdfe00fadc">Southern Water Supply Project</a>,” n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Northern Water, “<a href="https://www.northernwater.org/getmedia/61095f07-0e44-430f-a0e5-779c32a18114/C-BT-and-Northern-Water-brochure.pdf">The Colorado-Big Thompson Project Brochure</a>,” n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Recreation.gov, “<a href="https://www.recreation.gov/camping/gateways/49">Carter Reservoir (Carter Lake)</a>,” n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Donald C. Swain, “The Bureau of Reclamation and the New Deal, 1933–1940,” <em>Pacific Northwest Quarterly</em> 61, no. 3 (July 1970).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>US Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation and Larimer County Department of Natural Resources, “<a href="https://www.usbr.gov/gp/ecao/nepa/draft_reservoir_rmp_ea.pdf">Draft Resource Management Plan and Environmental Assessment for Horsetooth Reservoir, Carter Lake, Pinewood Reservoir, and Flatiron Reservoir</a>,” June 2017.</p>&#13; </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-additional-information-htm--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-additional-information-htm field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-additional-information-htm">Additional Information</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"><p><a href="https://www.larimer.gov/naturalresources">Larimer County Department of Natural Resources</a>.</p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://www.northernwater.org/about-us">Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District</a>.</p>&#13; </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> Mon, 28 Jun 2021 22:53:37 +0000 yongli 3582 at http://coloradoencyclopedia.org Bureau of Reclamation in Colorado http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/bureau-reclamation-colorado <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Bureau of Reclamation in Colorado</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" about="/users/yongli" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">yongli</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2016-05-12T16:53:58-06:00" title="Thursday, May 12, 2016 - 16:53" class="datetime">Thu, 05/12/2016 - 16:53</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'addtoany_standard' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * addtoany-standard--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * addtoany-standard--node.html.twig x addtoany-standard.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/bureau-reclamation-colorado" data-a2a-title="Bureau of Reclamation in Colorado"><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=http%3A%2F%2Fcoloradoencyclopedia.org%2Farticle%2Fbureau-reclamation-colorado&amp;title=Bureau%20of%20Reclamation%20in%20Colorado"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a></span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item" id="id-body"><p>The United States Reclamation Service, later renamed the Bureau of Reclamation, was created in 1902 to advance settlement of the West through construction of large dams, reservoirs, canals, and other projects. Since then, the service has played an important role in the development of Colorado’s <a href="/article/water-colorado"><strong>water resources</strong></a>. It has constructed sixteen projects in Colorado, improving water deliveries to irrigators, aiding in urban growth by supplying water and power to municipalities and industries, creating new recreational areas around its reservoirs, and providing flood control.</p> <h2>Uncompahgre and Grand Valley Projects</h2> <p>At first, the mission of the Reclamation Service focused on increasing settlement opportunities in the arid West. In Colorado, the Reclamation Service constructed two projects under this mandate: the Uncompahgre Project on the <strong>Uncompahgre</strong> and <a href="/article/gunnison-river"><strong>Gunnison</strong></a> Rivers and the <a href="/article/grand-valley-irrigation"><strong>Grand Valley Project</strong></a> on the <a href="/article/colorado-river"><strong>Colorado River</strong></a>.</p> <p><a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/irrigation-colorado"><strong>Irrigation</strong></a> development in the Uncompahgre River valley began during the early 1880s, shortly after the removal of the <a href="/article/northern-ute-people-uintah-and-ouray-reservation"><strong>Ute</strong></a> tribe to Utah. Similar to other irrigation projects at that time, private enterprise took the lead in constructing facilities. Some believed the Uncompahgre River capable of irrigating 175,000 acres. Water supplies, however, failed to meet these expectations, and by 1890, fewer than 30,000 acres were irrigated. Developers made plans to construct a tunnel to divert water from the nearby Gunnison River to stabilize Uncompahgre River water supplies. Construction on the tunnel began in 1901, but the project was soon abandoned due to lack of funds.</p> <p>In 1903 the Reclamation Service took over the project, and construction of the first project feature—the Gunnison Tunnel—began in 1905. Tunnel construction faced many challenges, including high temperatures within the tunnel, carbon dioxide build-ups, water leakage, and multiple varieties of rocks to dig through. These difficulties resulted in the deaths of twenty-six workers. In 1909 the Reclamation Service completed work on the Gunnison Tunnel, and President William Howard Taft attended the tunnel’s official opening on September 23.</p> <p>After the completion of the Gunnison Tunnel, the agency began work on the remaining project features, which included seven diversion dams and 128 miles of canals. Much of this work consisted of rehabilitation and improvement of existing facilities. By 1925 the Uncompahgre Project was essentially complete. The last major addition to the project came in 1934 with the construction of Taylor Park Dam and reservoir to shore up project water supplies. Located twenty miles upstream from the head of the Gunnison River, the dam was completed in 1937.</p> <p>The Uncompahgre Project provides irrigation water for over 76,000 acres, producing a wide variety of crops. Over the course of the twentieth century, recreation and tourism—such as visits to the <a href="/article/black-canyon-gunnison"><strong>Black Canyon of the Gunnison</strong></a>&nbsp;or Taylor Park Reservoir—have grown to become important aspects of the local economy. In addition, project features have been singled out for their unique engineering features. For example, the Gunnison Tunnel, the longest of its kind at the time, was declared a National Historical Civil Engineering Landmark in 1972 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.</p> <p>The Grand Valley Project is located in western Colorado in the area of <a href="/article/grand-junction"><strong>Grand Junction</strong></a>, near the confluence of the Gunnison and Colorado Rivers. Early settlers in the 1880s found fertile land that responded well to irrigation and by 1886, 45,000 acres were irrigated. In 1907 valley residents requested that the RS improve existing facilities and provide new works to irrigate the higher benchlands.</p> <p>Construction began in October 1912. Project features included a fourteen-foot-high diversion dam on the Colorado River, four canals stretching over ninety miles, and three tunnels. The RS began work on the three tunnels, beginning with Tunnel No. 1, which was holed through in September 1913. Within two years, tunnels No. 2 and 3 were complete.</p> <p>The main feature of the Grand Valley Project is the 14-foot high and 546-foot-long Grand Valley Diversion Dam. Dam construction began in 1913. The structure is a roller crest dam, consisting of six rollers seventy feet long and over seven feet in diameter. The rollers allow engineers to raise the water level behind the dam and divert water into the main canal. When raised, the rollers permit large objects to pass over the top of the dam. The RS completed construction in October 1916. At the time, the Grand Valley Diversion Dam was the largest roller crest dam in the world and today is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.</p> <p>In May 1916 the Reclamation Service began water deliveries to irrigators, and by 1917, all project features were complete. With improved irrigation facilities, the amount of irrigated acreage slowly increased, and by 1921 project lands had risen to 21,290 acres. Over the course of the twentieth century that number increased, reaching a total of 34,160 acres in 1965. In March 1933 the Reclamation Service added a hydroelectric component to the project. Over time the delivery of water for municipal and industrial purposes increased in importance, serving growing communities and altering project purposes. Nevertheless, the project continues to aid irrigators in western Colorado, contributing to the success of agriculture.</p> <h2>Colorado River Storage Project</h2> <p>In November 1922 the&nbsp;multistate Colorado River Compact divided Colorado River water between the states in the upper and lower basins of the river. World War II, with its accompanying demographic growth in the Southwest, exponentially increased demands for water and power. As a result, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona signed the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact, dividing the waters of the Colorado River in 1947. With the compact in place, the Bureau of Reclamation (formerly the Reclamation Service) proposed an ambitious plan for the upper basin in 1948. The bureau’s plans included the construction of ten dams throughout the region to provide hydroelectricity and water storage for new and existing agricultural areas. In 1955 Congress approved the Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP), and initial appropriations went to the construction of four units, including the Curecanti (Aspinall) Unit on the Gunnison River.</p> <p>Located on a forty-mile stretch of the Gunnison in west-central Colorado, the Curecanti Unit consists of three dams: Blue Mesa, Morrow Point, and Crystal. The unit’s primary purpose is water storage for power production and to supply supplemental irrigation water, along with municipal and industrial water. The unit allows Colorado to use its allotment under the Colorado River Compact. Congress authorized construction of Blue Mesa and Morrow Point dams and power plants in 1959 and Crystal Dam in 1962.</p> <p>Construction of Blue Mesa Dam began in 1961. Located thirty miles downstream from the town of Gunnison, Blue Mesa is an earth-fill embankment dam 390 feet high and 785 feet long at its crest. Its power plant consists of two 30,000-kilowatt generators. Reclamation completed construction in 1966, and the power plant began producing electricity in 1968.</p> <p>Just twelve miles downstream, construction of Morrow Point Dam also began in 1961. Bureau of Reclamation engineers designed the dam as a thin-arch double-curvature concrete structure 468 feet high and 724 feet long at its crest. The Morrow Point Power plant is the first underground hydroelectric facility and consists of two 60,000-kilowatt generators. The bureau completed construction of the dam in 1968, and the power plant went online by 1971.</p> <p>Located six miles downstream of Morrow Point Dam, preliminary work on Crystal Dam began in 1964. Originally planned as an earth-fill structure, the bureau changed the design to a double-curvature thin arch dam 323 feet high and 635 feet long at the crest. This design change delayed construction to 1973. The Crystal Dam Power Plant holds two 39,000-horsepower hydraulic turbines with a generating capacity of 28,000 kilowatts. The bureau completed dam construction in 1976 and finished the power plant in 1978.</p> <p>The bureau designed the unit to work in unison to meet specific needs at certain times. Blue Mesa Dam is the primary storage facility, allowing its power plant to meet load requirements depending on customer needs. Morrow Point and Crystal dams maintain uniform stream flows that provide a steady production of electricity. During the irrigation season, these dams ensure water deliveries to area farmers. The proceeds from the sale of electricity help to repay construction costs and allow for the continuing development of Colorado’s water resources.</p> <p>It took seventeen years to complete the Curecanti Unit, the last of the original CRSP units authorized by Congress in 1955. In 1980, the unit was renamed the Wayne Aspinall Unit in honor of long-serving Colorado congressman <strong><a href="/article/wayne-aspinall">Wayne </a></strong><a href="/article/wayne-aspinall"><strong>Aspinall</strong></a>, who had championed water reclamation projects in Colorado and throughout the West. Over time the Wayne Aspinall Unit has become an important feature of western Colorado’s outdoor recreation industry, providing multiple recreational activities such as camping, fishing, and hiking.</p> <h2>Fryingpan-Arkansas Project</h2> <p>During the second half of the twentieth century, irrigation development expanded throughout the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/arkansas-river"><strong>Arkansas River</strong></a> valley. The bureau designed the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project to deliver supplemental irrigation water to Arkansas Valley farmers and provide municipal and industrial water to <a href="/article/front-range"><strong>Front Range</strong></a> communities. When completed, the project consisted of six storage dams, seventeen diversion dams, two power plants, and hundreds of miles of canals, conduits, and tunnels.</p> <p>The bureau began investigating ways to increase water supplies to the Front Range during the late 1940s. Citizens in western Colorado objected on the grounds that proposed diversion limited the potential growth of Western Slope communities. Proponents spoke of the desperate need for municipal water to keep up with growth. Contentious discussions lasted over ten years. The major stumbling block was the proposed<a href="/article/aspen"><strong> Aspen </strong></a>Reservoir, which the citizens of <a href="/article/pitkin-county"><strong>Pitkin County</strong></a> vehemently opposed. In 1959 the contesting parties reached an agreement by dropping Aspen Dam in favor of Ruedi Dam on the Fryingpan River. In the summer of 1962 Congress authorized construction of a scaled-back project, named the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project.</p> <p>The bureau’s construction of the project would take more than twenty years to complete and face changing American values concerning human relationship with the environment. Construction schedules were divided into four sections: West Slope, Buena Vista, Salida, and the Arkansas Valley. Over the length of development, the project went through many metamorphoses. Only two of the planned six power plants, Mount Elbert and Otero, were constructed. In total, the bureau built six storage dams—Ruedi, Sugar Loaf, Pueblo, Mt. Elbert Forebay, Twin Lakes, and Clear Creek—along with seventeen diversion dams and associated structures.</p> <p>The Fryingpan-Arkansas Project was one of the first projects in which the Bureau of Reclamation had to consider environmental regulations. In 1969 Congress passed the National Environmental Policy Act that mandated that the bureau alter many project features. For example, the bureau relocated historic buildings in the town of <strong>Twin Lakes</strong> to avoid their destruction. In addition, it constructed tunnels instead of open canals across forest lands so as to not mar the natural scenery. Unforeseen results stemming from steadier water flows in the Arkansas River occurred when the river became a first-class trout stream and a popular attraction for whitewater rafting enthusiasts.</p> <p>Construction of the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project ended in the early 1980s. Along with meeting environmental requirements, the twenty-year construction period saw changes in Front Range water needs. The region witnessed significant urban and suburban growth, along with rising demands for municipal and industrial water. As a result, significant amounts of water for Arkansas Valley agricultural lands were taken out of production.</p> <p>The Bureau of Reclamation’s contributions to the development of Colorado’s water resources changed as the state’s needs changed. Early in the twentieth century, construction of the Uncompahgre and Grand Valley projects reflected needs to enhance and expand Colorado agriculture. By midcentury, multiple-use projects became the focus of the bureau’s efforts, diversifying water utilization. Both the Wayne Aspinall Unit and the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project represent this change in its mission and water-user requirements. During the latter half of the twentieth century, water resources development encompassed meeting multiple demands, such as irrigation, municipal and industrial uses, flood control, power development, and recreation. Significantly, these expansions in the Bureau of Reclamation’s mission mirrored Colorado’s transformation from a rural/agricultural base to an urban/industrial society.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-author field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-author"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-author">Author</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-author"><a href="/author/gahan-andrew-h" hreflang="und">Gahan, Andrew H.</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-keyword--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-keyword.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-keyword.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-keyword field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-keyword"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-keyword">Keywords</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/bureau-reclamation" hreflang="en">bureau of reclamation</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/reclamation-colorado" hreflang="en">reclamation in colorado</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/grand-junction" hreflang="en">Grand Junction</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/reclamation-west" hreflang="en">reclamation in west</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/united-states-reclamation-service" hreflang="en">united states reclamation service</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/uncomaphgre-project" hreflang="en">uncomaphgre project</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/grand-valley-project" hreflang="en">grand valley project</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/fryingpan-arkansas-project" hreflang="en">fryingpan arkansas project</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/gunnison-river" hreflang="en">gunnison river</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/uncompahgre-river" hreflang="en">uncompahgre river</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/gunnison-tunnel" hreflang="en">gunnison tunnel</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/taylor-park-dam" hreflang="en">taylor park dam</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/reservoir" hreflang="en">reservoir</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/dams" hreflang="en">dams</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/irrigation" hreflang="en">irrigation</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/water-history" hreflang="en">water history</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/colorado-water" hreflang="en">colorado water</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/blue-mesa-reservoir" hreflang="en">blue mesa reservoir</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/curecanti-unit" hreflang="en">curecanti unit</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/wayne-aspinall" hreflang="en">wayne aspinall</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/pitkin-county" hreflang="en">pitkin county</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/twin-lakes" hreflang="en">twin lakes</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/daniel-tyler" hreflang="en">daniel tyler</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links--inline.html.twig * links--node.html.twig * links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-references-html--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-references-html.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-references-html.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-references-html field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-references-html"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-references-html">References</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-references-html"><p>C. J. Blanchard, “Grand Valley—‘Valley of Your Dreams,’” in <em>Reclamation Record</em> 9 (February 1918).</p> <p>David Clark, “<a href="http://www.usbr.gov/projects/ImageServer?imgName=Doc_1305644241145.pdf">Uncompahgre Project</a>,” ed. William Joe Simonds (Denver: Bureau of Reclamation History Program, 1994).</p> <p>“Curecanti Unit,” in US Department of the Interior, <em>Water and Power Resources Service, Project Data</em> (Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office, 1981).</p> <p>C. M. Day, “Orchard Mesa Pumping Plant, Grand Valley Project, Colorado,” <em>New Reclamation Era</em> 18 (December 1927).</p> <p>“Fryingpan-Arkansas Project,” in US Department of the Interior, <em>Water and Power Resources Service, Project Data</em> (Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office, 1981).</p> <p>“Grand Valley Project,” in US Department of the Interior, <em>Water and Power Resources Service, Project Data </em>(Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office, 1981).</p> <p>“Grand Valley Rescue” in <em>Reclamation Era</em> 36 (June 1950).</p> <p>Zachary Redmond, “Wayne Aspinall Unit: Colorado River Storage Project” (Denver: Bureau of Reclamation History Program, 2000).</p> <p>Jedediah S. Rogers, “<a href="http://www.usbr.gov/projects/ImageServer?imgName=Doc_1305042036789.pdf">Fryingpan-Arkansas Project</a>” (Denver: Bureau of Reclamation History Program, 2000).</p> <p>Steven C. Schulte, <em>Wayne Aspinall and the Shaping of the American West </em>(Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 2002).</p> <p>Wm. Joe Simonds, “<a href="http://www.usbr.gov/projects/ImageServer?imgName=Doc_1305042485344.pdf">Grand Valley Project</a>” (Denver: Bureau of Reclamation History Program, 2000).</p> <p>Stephen Sturgeon, <em>The Politics of Western Water: The Congressional Career of Wayne Aspinall</em> (Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2002).</p> <p>Daniel Tyler, <em>Silver Fox of the Rockies: Delphus E. Carpenter and Western Water Compacts</em> (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2003).</p> <p>Daniel Tyler, <em>The Last Water Hole in the West: The Colorado–Big Thompson Project and the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District </em>(Niwot: University Press of Colorado, 1992).</p> <p>“Uncompahgre Project,” in US Department of the Interior, <em>Water and Power Resources Service, Project Data</em> (Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office, 1981).</p> <p>United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Region 7, <em>Initial Development Gunnison-Arkansas Project Roaring Fork Division</em>, Report No. 7-8a.49-1, January 1950.</p> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-additional-information-htm--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-additional-information-htm field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-additional-information-htm">Additional Information</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"><p><a href="https://www.denverwater.org/">Denver Water</a></p> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> Thu, 12 May 2016 22:53:58 +0000 yongli 1375 at http://coloradoencyclopedia.org