Boulder Reservoir

Boulder Reservoir
Boulder City Reservoir
The entrance sign.
Location of Boulder Reservoir in Colorado, USA.
Location of Boulder Reservoir in Colorado, USA.
Boulder Reservoir
Location of Boulder Reservoir in Colorado, USA.
Location of Boulder Reservoir in Colorado, USA.
Boulder Reservoir
LocationBoulder, Colorado
Coordinates40°04′42″N 105°13′19″W / 40.07833°N 105.22194°W / 40.07833; -105.22194
Managing agencyNorthern Colorado Water Conservancy District
BuiltMay 1, 1954 (1954-05-01)
First floodedFebruary 11, 1955 (1955-02-11)
Water volume13,270 acre⋅ft (16.37×10^6 m3)[1]
Surface elevation1,578 m (5,177 ft)[2]

Boulder Reservoir is located in the northern part of Boulder, Colorado. It stores water for the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District — also called Northern Water — and for the City of Boulder. The reservoir is the centerpiece of the Boulder Reservoir Regional Park, which is managed by the City of Boulder's Department of Parks and Recreation.

The reservoir receives most of its water from Colorado's Western Slope through the Alva B. Adams Tunnel and the Boulder Feeder Canal, both part of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project.[3] Some of the stored water is used as part of Boulder's municipal water supply and some is used for agricultural purposes in Boulder and Weld counties.

Boulder Reservoir Regional Park

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The reservoir's surface area is 700 acres. According to Boulder's Parks and Recreation Department, the chief recreation activities at the park are "boating, swimming, sun bathing, water skiing, fishing, picnics, walking, running, cycling and wildlife viewing."[4]

The reservoir has a robust Aquatics nuisance species mitigation program. All watercraft including stand up paddleboards, kayaks canoes belly boats and motorboats require a valid annual City of Boulder boat permit to use the facility. The facility prohibits dogs May 15 - Labor day and charges admission fees April - October.

The reservoir is popular among anglers, especially those fishing for walleye, smallmouth bass, and catfish. In recent years, the State of Colorado has stocked the reservoir with black crappie, saugeye, and rainbow trout.[5] Ice fishing is also possible when the lake is frozen.

The reservoir was completed in 1955.[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Shelley, Jim. Boulder Reservoir An Important Water Resource. Viewed 2017-01-04.
  2. ^ "Boulder Reservoir". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  3. ^ Northern Water. Boulder Reservoir. Viewed 2017-01-04.
  4. ^ City of Boulder, Colorado. Department of Parks and Recreation. Boulder Reservoir. Viewed 2016-01-04.
  5. ^ Swigle, Benjamin. Boulder City Reservoir: Fish Survey and Management Data. Viewed: 2017-01-04.
  6. ^ Shelley, Jim. Boulder Reservoir An Important Water Resource. Viewed 2017-01-04.
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