List of dams in the Colorado River system

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Map showing locations of major dams in the Colorado River basin. Lee's Ferry, which separates the Upper and Lower Basins, is located just downriver from Glen Canyon Dam.

This is a list of dams on the Colorado River system of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. The Colorado runs 1,450 mi (2,330 km) from the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of California, draining parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states. The river system is one of the most heavily developed in the world, with fifteen dams on the main stem of the Colorado [citation needed] and hundreds more on tributaries. Collectively, dams in the Colorado River basin can hold four to five times the river's annual flow, generating hydroelectricity and supplying irrigation and municipal water for over 35 million people.

Dams on tributaries are listed if they are taller than 250 ft (76 m), store more than 50,000 acre⋅ft (62,000 dam3), or are otherwise historically notable. Tributary dams are organized into two lists; those in the Upper Basin, defined as the half of the Colorado River basin above Lee's Ferry, Arizona, and the Lower Basin. The Upper Basin include such tributary systems as the Green, Gunnison and San Juan. Tributaries in the Lower Basin include the Little Colorado, Virgin and Gila. A key tributary of the San Juan River, the Animas River, was severely affected by the EPA's accidental August 2015 Gold King Mine waste water spill.

Notes:

  • Flood control: Temporary retention and quick release of flood flows
  • Hydropower: Generation of electricity utilizing water flow through the hydraulic head provided by the dam and reservoir
  • Irrigation: Provision and storage of water for agriculture
  • Municipal: Provision and storage of water for residential, commercial and industrial uses
  • Regulation: To control erratic inflows to provide either a stable flow downstream or to release water on demand to downstream users

Main stem[edit]

Name State Owner Purpose Year
completed 		Reservoir Reservoir
capacity 		Capacity
(MW) 		Annual
generation
(MWh) 		Refs
Morelos Dam  AZ
 BC 		IBWC Irrigation 1950 N/A N/A N/A N/A [1]
Laguna Diversion Dam  AZ
 CA 		USBR Diversion 1905 N/A N/A N/A N/A [2]
Imperial Dam  AZ
 CA 		USBR Irrigation 1938 Imperial Reservoir 160,000 acre.ft
(197,400 dam3) 		N/A N/A [n 1][3]
Palo Verde Dam  AZ
 CA 		USBR Diversion 1958 N/A N/A N/A N/A [4]
Headgate Rock Dam  AZ
 CA 		BIA Irrigation 1941 Moovalya Lake N/A 19.5 ? [5][6]
Parker Dam  AZ
 CA 		USBR Hydropower
Irrigation
Municipal 		1938 Lake Havasu 646,200 acre.ft
(797,100 dam3) 		120 456,944 [7]
Davis Dam  AZ
 NV 		USBR Hydropower
Regulation 		1951 Lake Mohave 1,818,300 acre.ft
(2,242,800 dam3) 		255 1,147,673 [8][9]
Hoover Dam  AZ
 NV 		USBR Flood control
Hydropower
Irrigation
Municipal
Regulation 		1936 Lake Mead 28,945,000 acre.ft
(35,702,400 dam3) 		2,079 3,806,935 [10][11]
Glen Canyon Dam  AZ USBR Hydropower
Regulation 		1966 Lake Powell 26,214,900 acre.ft
(32,334,900 dam3) 		1,296 3,454,847 [12][13]
Price-Stubb Dam  CO PCID[n 2]
MCID[n 3] 		Irrigation 1911 N/A N/A N/A N/A [n 4][14]
Grand Valley Diversion Dam  CO USBR Irrigation 1916 N/A N/A 3 19,350 [15]
Windy Gap Dam  CO Northern Water Irrigation
Municipal 		1970 Windy Gap Reservoir 445 acre.ft
(549 dam3) 		N/A N/A [16]
Granby Dam  CO USBR Irrigation
Municipal 		1950 Lake Granby 539,800 acre.ft
(665,800 dam3) 		N/A N/A [17]
Shadow Mountain Dam  CO USBR Irrigation
Municipal 		1946 Shadow Mountain Lake 18,400 acre.ft
(22,700 dam3) 		N/A N/A [18]
Total 58,343,045 acre.ft
(71,963,595 dam3) 		3,772.5 8,885,749

Upper Basin[edit]

Name State Stream Owner Purpose Year
completed 		Reservoir Reservoir
capacity 		Capacity
(MW) 		Annual
generation
(MWh) 		Refs
Blue Mesa Dam  CO Gunnison USBR Flood control
Hydropower
Regulation 		1966 Blue Mesa Reservoir 940,700 acre.ft
(1,160,300 dam3) 		86.4 203,412 [19]
Dillon Dam  CO Blue Denver Water Irrigation
Municipal 		1963 Dillon Reservoir 257,304 acre.ft
(317,373 dam3) 		1.8 ? [20][21]
Flaming Gorge Dam  UT Green USBR Flood control
Hydropower
Regulation 		1964 Flaming Gorge Reservoir 3,788,700 acre.ft
(4,673,200 dam3) 		153 344,369 [22]
Fontenelle Dam  WY Green USBR Flood control
Irrigation 		1964 Fontenelle Reservoir 345,360 acre.ft
(426,990 dam3) 		10 67,043 [23]
Green Mountain Dam  CO Blue USBR Hydropower
Regulation 		1943 Green Mountain Reservoir 153,639 acre.ft
(189,507 dam3) 		21.6 60,228 [24][25]
Joes Valley Dam  UT Seely Cr. USBR Irrigation
Municipal 		1966 Joes Valley Reservoir 54,920 acre.ft
(67,740 dam3) 		N/A N/A [26]
McPhee Dam  CO Dolores USBR Flood control
Irrigation 		1984 McPhee Reservoir 381,195 acre.ft
(470,187 dam3) 		1.283 5,335 [27][28]
Morrow Point Dam  CO Gunnison USBR Hydropower 1968 Morrow Point Reservoir 117,190 acre.ft
(144,550 dam3) 		173.334 292,887 [29][30]
Navajo Dam  NM San Juan USBR Flood control
Irrigation
Municipal
Regulation 		1962 Navajo Lake 1,708,600 acre.ft
(2,107,500 dam3) 		32 215,000 [n 5][31][32]
Ridges Basin Dam  CO Offstream USBR Irrigation 2007 Lake Nighthorse 120,000 acre.ft
(148,000 dam3) 		N/A N/A [33]
Ridgway Dam  CO Uncompahgre USBR Flood control
Irrigation 		1987 Ridgway Reservoir 84,410 acre.ft
(104,120 dam3) 		N/A N/A [34]
Ruedi Dam  CO Fryingpan USBR Irrigation
Municipal 		1968 Ruedi Reservoir 102,000 acre.ft
(125,800 dam3) 		N/A N/A [35]
Scofield Dam  UT Price USBR Irrigation
Municipal 		1946 Scofield Reservoir 73,600 acre.ft
(90,780 dam3) 		N/A N/A [36]
Soldier Creek Dam  UT Strawberry USBR Irrigation
Municipal 		1974 Strawberry Reservoir 1,127,610 acre.ft
(1,390,860 dam3) 		N/A N/A [37]
Starvation Dam  UT Strawberry USBR Irrigation 1970 Starvation Reservoir 167,300 acre.ft
(206,400 dam3) 		N/A N/A [38]
Taylor Park Dam  CO Taylor USBR Irrigation 1937 Taylor Park Reservoir 106,200 acre.ft
(130,990 dam3) 		N/A N/A [39]
Vallecito Dam  CO Los Pinos River USBR Irrigation 1941 Vallecito Reservoir 129,700 acre.ft
(160,000 dam3) 		N/A N/A [40]
Vega Dam  CO Plateau Creek USBR Irrigation 1959 Vega Reservoir 33,800 acre.ft
(41,691 dam3) 		N/A N/A [41]
Williams Fork Dam  CO Williams Fork Denver Water Irrigation
Municipal 		1959 Williams Fork Reservoir 96,822 acre.ft
(119,426 dam3) 		3.158 ? [42]
Wolford Mountain Dam  CO Muddy Cr. CRWCD[n 6] Irrigation
Municipal 		1996 Wolford Mountain Reservoir 66,000 acre.ft
(81,400 dam3) 		N/A N/A [43]
Total 9,821,250 acre.ft
(12,114,080 dam3) 		482.575 1,188,274

Lower Basin[edit]

Name State Stream Owner Purpose Year
completed 		Reservoir Reservoir
capacity 		Capacity
(MW) 		Annual
generation
(MWh) 		Refs
Alamo Dam  AZ Bill Williams USACE Flood control 1968 Alamo Lake 1,043,000 acre.ft
(1,286,500 dam3) 		N/A N/A [44]
Bartlett Dam  AZ Verde USBR Flood control
Irrigation 		1939 Bartlett Lake 176,186 acre.ft
(217,318 dam3) 		N/A N/A [45]
Coolidge Dam  AZ Gila BIA Flood control
Irrigation 		1930 San Carlos Lake 910,000 acre.ft
(1,122,400 dam3) 		N/A N/A [46]
Horse Mesa Dam  AZ Salt USBR Hydropower
Regulation 		1927 Apache Lake 245,138 acre.ft
(302,367 dam3) 		129 126,900 [n 7][48]
Horseshoe Dam  AZ Verde USBR Flood control
Regulation 		1946 Horseshoe Lake 131,500 acre.ft
(162,200 dam3) 		N/A N/A [49]
Mormon Flat Dam  AZ Salt USBR Hydropower
Regulation 		1925 Canyon Lake 57,852 acre.ft
(71,358 dam3) 		60 65,400 [n 8][50]
New Waddell Dam  AZ Agua Fria USBR Irrigation
Municipal 		1994 Lake Pleasant 1,108,600 acre.ft
(1,367,409 dam3) 		45 ? [51]
Painted Rock Dam  AZ Gila USACE Flood control 1960 Painted Rock Reservoir 2,491,700 acre.ft
(3,073,400 dam3) 		N/A N/A [52]
Sand Hollow Dam  UT Offstream WCWCD[n 9] Irrigation
Municipal 		2002 Sand Hollow Reservoir 51,360 acre.ft
(63,350 dam3) 		N/A N/A [52]
Stewart Mountain Dam  AZ Salt USBR Hydropower
Regulation 		1930 Saguaro Lake 69,765 acre.ft
(86,052 dam3) 		13 57,700 [n 10][53]
Theodore Roosevelt Dam  AZ Salt USBR Flood control
Hydropower
Irrigation
Municipal
 1911 Theodore Roosevelt Lake 2,910,200 acre.ft
(3,589,600 dam3) 		36 123,900 [n 11][54]
Total 9,195,301 acre.ft
(11,342,000 dam3) 		283 373,900

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Reservoir capacity given is the original capacity in 1938 before siltation.
  2. ^ Palisade County Irrigation District
  3. ^ Mesa County Irrigation District
  4. ^ Dam went out of operation in 1919 after the completion of the Grand Valley Diversion Dam upstream, but remains in place
  5. ^ Annual power generation calculated from a power station hydraulic head of 381.6 ft (116.3 m) and average annual flow of 1,082 cu ft/s (30.6 m3/s) in the San Juan River below the dam, 1963–2012.
  6. ^ Colorado River Water Conservation District
  7. ^ Annual generation calculated from a hydraulic head of 255 ft (78 m) and an average Salt River flow of 962 cu ft/s (27.2 m3/s).[47]
  8. ^ Annual generation calculated from a hydraulic head of 131.5 ft (40.1 m) and an average Salt River flow of 962 cu ft/s (27.2 m3/s).[47]
  9. ^ Washington County Water Conservation District
  10. ^ Annual generation calculated from a hydraulic head of 116 ft (35 m) and an average Salt River flow of 962 cu ft/s (27.2 m3/s).[47]
  11. ^ Annual generation calculated from a hydraulic head of 249 ft (76 m) and an average Salt River flow of 962 cu ft/s (27.2 m3/s).[47]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Morelos Dam". Archived from the original on 2013-02-15. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  2. ^ "Laguna Diversion Dam". Archived from the original on 2010-04-06. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  3. ^ "Imperial Reservoir". Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
  4. ^ "Palo Verde Dam". Archived from the original on 2012-09-25. Retrieved 2009-02-28.
  5. ^ "Moovalya Lake" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  6. ^ "Irrigation at the Lake. Headgate Report" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2013-06-28. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  7. ^ "Lake Havasu and Parker Dam". Archived from the original on 2011-01-29. Retrieved 2011-01-29.
  8. ^ "Lake Mohave". Archived from the original on 2016-03-01. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
  9. ^ "Request Rejected". www.usbr.gov. Archived from the original on 1 March 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  10. ^ "Hoover Dam at Lake Mead". Archived from the original on 2012-04-15. Retrieved 2012-05-21.
  11. ^ "Request Rejected". www.usbr.gov. Archived from the original on 28 March 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  12. ^ "Lake Powell". Archived from the original on 2012-10-06. Retrieved 2011-05-27.
  13. ^ "Powerplant project". Archived from the original on 2016-09-28. Retrieved 2016-09-28.
  14. ^ "PriceStubb Dam" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2012-10-10. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  15. ^ "Request Rejected". www.usbr.gov. Archived from the original on 25 September 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  16. ^ "Northern Water Windy Gap Project". www.northernwater.org. Archived from the original on 25 July 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  17. ^ "Lake Granby". Archived from the original on 2012-09-25. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  18. ^ "Shadow Mountain". Archived from the original on 2012-10-04. Retrieved 2011-03-20.
  19. ^ "Blue Mesa". Archived from the original on 2012-10-05. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  20. ^ "Dillon Reservoir". Archived from the original on 2013-10-26. Retrieved 2013-10-27.
  21. ^ "Steely dam - repair work at Dillion spillway - International Water Power". www.waterpowermagazine.com. Archived from the original on 24 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  22. ^ "Flaming George". Archived from the original on 2012-10-14. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  23. ^ "Fontenelle Dam". Archived from the original on 2011-04-08. Retrieved 2011-05-24.
  24. ^ "Green Mountain". Archived from the original on 2015-09-05. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  25. ^ "Request Rejected". www.usbr.gov. Archived from the original on 28 March 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  26. ^ "Joes Valley Reservoir". Archived from the original on 2015-09-05. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  27. ^ "McPhee reservoir". Archived from the original on 2013-03-09. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  28. ^ "Request Rejected". www.usbr.gov. Archived from the original on 24 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  29. ^ "Morrow Point Reservoir". Archived from the original on 2011-11-12. Retrieved 2011-05-11.
  30. ^ "Powerplant at Morrow". Archived from the original on 2012-10-05. Retrieved 2012-10-05.
  31. ^ "Navajo Lake" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  32. ^ Reclamation, Bureau of. "Navajo Dam - UC Region - Bureau of Reclamation". www.usbr.gov. Archived from the original on 7 July 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  33. ^ Reclamation, Bureau of. "News Archive: Reclamation Celebrates Completion of Ridges Basin Dam". www.usbr.gov. Archived from the original on 25 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  34. ^ "Ridgway Reservoir". Archived from the original on 2012-09-25. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  35. ^ "Ruedi reservoir". Archived from the original on 2012-08-23. Retrieved 2012-05-18.
  36. ^ "Scofield reservoir". Archived from the original on 2012-09-25. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  37. ^ "Strawberry reservoir". Archived from the original on 2015-09-05. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  38. ^ "Starvation Reservoir". Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  39. ^ "Request Rejected". www.usbr.gov. Archived from the original on 16 March 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  40. ^ "Vallecito Reservoir". Archived from the original on 2014-04-24. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  41. ^ "Vega Reservoir". Archived from the original on 2016-09-28. Retrieved 2016-05-09.
  42. ^ "Williams Fork". Archived from the original on 2011-10-06. Retrieved 2011-10-04.
  43. ^ "Wolford Mountain Reservoir". Archived from the original on 2014-04-13. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
  44. ^ "Rural Programs - Arizona Department of Water Resources" (PDF). www.azwater.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2013-09-21. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  45. ^ "Bartlett Dam and Bartlett Lake". www.srpnet.com. Archived from the original on 24 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  46. ^ "Coolidge Dam, Arizona". 31 October 2001. Archived from the original on 31 October 2001. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  47. ^ a b c d "TR Lake" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  48. ^ "Horse Mesa Dam and Apache Lake". www.srpnet.com. Archived from the original on 24 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  49. ^ "Horseshoe Lake". Archived from the original on 2013-06-25. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  50. ^ "Mormon Flat Dam and Canyon Lake". www.srpnet.com. Archived from the original on 24 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  51. ^ "Lake Pleasant Park". Archived from the original on 2012-10-06. Retrieved 2011-05-31.
  52. ^ a b "Painted Rock Reservoir" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2013-02-18. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  53. ^ "Saguaro Lake". Archived from the original on 2013-03-13. Retrieved 2013-02-04.
  54. ^ "TR Dam". Archived from the original on 2013-02-28. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
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