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
-
Parker Dam (AZ-CA)
-
Hoover Dam (AZ-NV)
-
Glen Canyon Dam (AZ)
-
Granby Dam (CO)
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 | Mittry Lake | 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
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Blue Mesa Dam (CO)
-
Fontenelle Dam (WY)
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Green Mountain Dam (CO)
-
McPhee Dam (CO)
-
Navajo Dam (NM)
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
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Bartlett Dam (AZ)
-
Mormon Flat Dam (AZ)
-
New Waddell Dam (AZ)
-
Painted Rock Dam (AZ)
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
- ^ Reservoir capacity given is the original capacity in 1938 before siltation.
- ^ Palisade County Irrigation District
- ^ Mesa County Irrigation District
- ^ Dam went out of operation in 1919 after the completion of the Grand Valley Diversion Dam upstream, but remains in place
- ^ 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.
- ^ Colorado River Water Conservation District
- ^ 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]
- ^ 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]
- ^ Washington County Water Conservation District
- ^ 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]
- ^ 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
- ^ "Morelos Dam". Archived from the original on 2013-02-15. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
- ^ "Laguna Diversion Dam". Archived from the original on 2010-04-06. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
- ^ "Imperial Reservoir". Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
- ^ "Palo Verde Dam". Archived from the original on 2012-09-25. Retrieved 2009-02-28.
- ^ "Moovalya Lake" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
- ^ "Irrigation at the Lake. Headgate Report" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2013-06-28. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
- ^ "Lake Havasu and Parker Dam". Archived from the original on 2011-01-29. Retrieved 2011-01-29.
- ^ "Lake Mohave". Archived from the original on 2016-03-01. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
- ^ "Powerplant details - Davis Powerplant - Bureau of Reclamation". www.usbr.gov. Archived from the original on 1 March 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ "Hoover Dam at Lake Mead". Archived from the original on 2012-04-15. Retrieved 2012-05-21.
- ^ www.usbr.gov http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Powerplant.jsp?fac_Name=Hoover+Powerplant. Archived from the original on 28 March 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ "Lake Powell". Archived from the original on 2012-10-06. Retrieved 2011-05-27.
- ^ "Powerplant project". Archived from the original on 2016-09-28. Retrieved 2016-09-28.
- ^ "PriceStubb Dam" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2012-10-10. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
- ^ "Project details - Grand Valley Project - Bureau of Reclamation". www.usbr.gov. Archived from the original on 25 September 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ "Northern Water Windy Gap Project". www.northernwater.org. Archived from the original on 25 July 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ "Lake Granby". Archived from the original on 2012-09-25. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
- ^ "Shadow Mountain". Archived from the original on 2012-10-04. Retrieved 2011-03-20.
- ^ "Blue Mesa". Archived from the original on 2012-10-05. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
- ^ "Dillon Reservoir". Archived from the original on 2013-10-26. Retrieved 2013-10-27.
- ^ "Steely dam - repair work at Dillion spillway - International Water Power". www.waterpowermagazine.com. 12 January 2004. Archived from the original on 24 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ "Flaming George". Archived from the original on 2012-10-14. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
- ^ "Fontenelle Dam". Archived from the original on 2011-04-08. Retrieved 2011-05-24.
- ^ "Green Mountain". Archived from the original on 2015-09-05. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
- ^ www.usbr.gov http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Powerplant.jsp?fac_Name=Green+Mountain+Powerplant. Archived from the original on 28 March 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ "Joes Valley Reservoir". Archived from the original on 2015-09-05. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
- ^ "McPhee reservoir". Archived from the original on 2013-03-09. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
- ^ www.usbr.gov http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Powerplant.jsp?fac_Name=McPhee+Powerplant. Archived from the original on 24 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ "Morrow Point Reservoir". Archived from the original on 2011-11-12. Retrieved 2011-05-11.
- ^ "Powerplant at Morrow". Archived from the original on 2012-10-05. Retrieved 2012-10-05.
- ^ "Navajo Lake" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Ridgway Reservoir". Archived from the original on 2012-09-25. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
- ^ "Ruedi reservoir". Archived from the original on 2012-08-23. Retrieved 2012-05-18.
- ^ "Scofield reservoir". Archived from the original on 2012-09-25. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
- ^ "Strawberry reservoir". Archived from the original on 2015-09-05. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
- ^ "Starvation Reservoir". Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
- ^ "Project details - Uncompahgre Project - Bureau of Reclamation". www.usbr.gov. Archived from the original on 16 March 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ "Vallecito Reservoir". Archived from the original on 2014-04-24. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
- ^ "Vega Reservoir". Archived from the original on 2016-09-28. Retrieved 2016-05-09.
- ^ "Williams Fork". Archived from the original on 2011-10-06. Retrieved 2011-10-04.
- ^ "Wolford Mountain Reservoir". Archived from the original on 2014-04-13. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
- ^ "Rural Programs - Arizona Department of Water Resources" (PDF). www.azwater.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2013-09-21. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
- ^ "Bartlett Dam and Bartlett Lake". www.srpnet.com. Archived from the original on 24 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ "Coolidge Dam, Arizona". 31 October 2001. Archived from the original on 31 October 2001. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
- ^ a b c d "TR Lake" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
- ^ "Horse Mesa Dam and Apache Lake". www.srpnet.com. Archived from the original on 24 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ "Horseshoe Lake". Archived from the original on 2013-06-25. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
- ^ "Mormon Flat Dam and Canyon Lake". www.srpnet.com. Archived from the original on 24 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ "Lake Pleasant Park". Archived from the original on 2012-10-06. Retrieved 2011-05-31.
- ^ a b "Painted Rock Reservoir" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2013-02-18. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
- ^ "Saguaro Lake". Archived from the original on 2013-03-13. Retrieved 2013-02-04.
- ^ "TR Dam". Archived from the original on 2013-02-28. Retrieved 2013-06-17.