Antero Reservoir
| Antero Reservoir | |
|---|---|
 The reservoir from Highway 285. |
|
| Location | Park County, Colorado |
| Coordinates | 38°59′18″N 105°53′44″W / 38.98833°N 105.89556°WCoordinates: 38°59′18″N 105°53′44″W / 38.98833°N 105.89556°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 2,500 acres (1,000 ha) |
| Water volume | 20,000 acre·ft (25,000,000 m3) |
| Surface elevation | 8,942 ft (2,726 m) |
Antero Reservoir is a reservoir in the US state of Colorado. It was created by the first dam placed on the South Platte River in Park County, central Colorado. It is owned by Denver Water and supplies drinking water to the greater Denver metro region almost 140 miles (230 km) away.
Contents |
History [edit]
Built in 1909, the earthen dam sat on a site believed by geologists to be a dry lake bed some 300 years old. This lake, named Green Lake, lies submerged in Antero Reservoir.[1]
The Reservoir was closed in 2002 for five years due to drought. The lake went completely dry, and the Colorado Division of Wildlife, in concert with Denver Water resurrected it in 2007. The Colorado Division of Wildlife re-stocked the lake with rainbow trout, brook trout, cutbow, cutthroat trout, brown trout, and splake.
In 2011, engineers began lowering the water level by two feet due to excess seepage. The dam has leaked since its construction, leading it to operate under state restrictions.[2]
Beginning May 1, 2013, Antero reservoir will be drained because of drought conditions. In the meantime, Bag limits have been raised substantially. The South Shore is now open 24 hours a day, and camping is allowed.[3]
The Antero Reservoir will not be drained because of all the snow we received in April 2013.[4]
Fishing [edit]
The shallowness of this reservoir makes it relatively warm for the location and altitude. This makes for exceptionally large, fast growing fish.[5] Antero Reservoir is owned by Denver Water and overseen by Colorado Division of Wildlife. Because it is not a state park, there are no fees for fishing. Fishing is year 'round, with ice fishing in the winter.
Stats [edit]
Elevation: 8,942 feet (2,726 m), Capacity: 20,000 acre·ft (25,000,000 m3), Surface area: 2,500 acres (1,000 ha).[6]
References [edit]
- ^ http://www.denverwater.org/Recreation/Antero/
- ^ Pankratz, Howard (23 April 2011). "Water levels at leaking Antero reservoir to be drawn down". Denver Post. Retrieved 23 April 2011.
- ^ Denver Water 2013
- ^ http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/antero-reservoir-wont-be-drained-after-all
- ^ http://bobisback.com/location.html
- ^ http://www.fishexplorer.com/lakedet.asp?lid=2098
U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Antero Reservoir
