Lake Dillon
Encyclopedia
Dillon Reservoir, sometimes referred to as Lake Dillon, is a fresh water reservoir
located in Summit County
, south of I-70 and bordered by the towns of Frisco
, Silverthorne
, and Dillon
. It is a reservoir for the city of Denver
, and its waters are under the control of Denver Water
. Popular ski towns are close to the reservoir, including Copper Mountain
, Keystone
, Arapahoe Basin
, and Breckenridge
.
and was the most populous area in Summit County. In the mid-20th century, ski resorts were becoming popular, outweighing the mines in the economy of the area; the town lost many residents to them. The lake
became a target for expansion by the city of Denver, who deemed it necessary to have a water reserve in the high country.
The dam was constructed in 1961, enlarging the small finger lake into the massive reservoir it is today. The original town of Dillon was left to be flooded over and residents were forced to move. Underneath the west side of the lake, the original town is still visible. The original road leading to the old town, seen easily from both the dam road and Swan Mountain Road, is still used as a boat ramp.
Both Dillon and Frisco have marinas on the reservoir.
The reservoir is also a center of attraction for the area. During the winter months, ice fishing
and snowmobiling are common activities. For the warmer months, the Dillon Lake marina is open and hundreds of sailboats can be seen docked or sailing. Dillon Reservoir marina hosts many weekend racing regattas and also provides sailboats for rent. The Dillon Yacht Club is based out of the Marina and also hosts many sailing events. Dillon Reservoir is stocked every year with 50,000 rainbow trout
by the Colorado Division of Wildlife.
Due to Dillon Reservoir’s proximity to the towns of Dillon and Frisco, the lake has many lodging, camping, and RV sites.
In January 2008, the Summit County Sheriff Dept. found two men videotaping a music video on the dam road, already closed at the time for weather purposes. As is protocol for possible threats involving dams, the FBI were asked to investigate the situation as well. The men were cleared of any suspicious activity though the dam remained closed for a short time afterward.
On July 8 of the same year, Denver Water closed the dam road indefinitely to all vehicular traffic excluding emergency vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists, inciting a lawsuit against the utility company by Summit County representatives. Despite having spent $10 million on increasing security measures for the dam since September 11, the utility felt the dam was still at risk of possible threats, especially to the town of Silverthorne, which lies north, and directly beneath, the dam.
The dam road was re-opened on July 25, but with strict stipulations imposed by Denver Water, including weight restrictions on vehicles, officers in security vehicles being placed on either end of the dam at any time during the day, and closing the road from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Emergency vehicles requiring the use of the road during the closed hours must lower the steel barricades on both ends to get through.
To reach that level, Denver water uses several sources of which Dillon Reservoir provides forty percent of the total amount, or 106000 acre.ft. The reservoir has an annual median usable water level of ninety-two percent.
As a measure of volume, an acre-foot of water is equal to 325,851 gallons. One acre-foot of water will, on average, service 2.5 single-family households per year.
As Dillon reservoir is on the west side of the continental divide, in 1962 the Harold D. Roberts Tunnel was completed to bring water to Denver across the Divide. Because of the large concentration of population of the eastern side of the state, and the concentration of water sources on the western slope, the State of Colorado, and Denver Water have determined it necessary to transfer water from west to east in order to support the population.
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
located in Summit County
Summit County, Colorado
Summit County is the 19th most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 23,538 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Breckenridge...
, south of I-70 and bordered by the towns of Frisco
Frisco, Colorado
Frisco is a home rule municipality in Summit County, Colorado, United States. The population was 2,443 at the 2000 census. It is a popular town among skiers from around the world...
, Silverthorne
Silverthorne, Colorado
The Town of Silverthorne is a Home Rule Municipality that is the most populous town in Summit County, Colorado. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 3,610.-Geography:...
, and Dillon
Dillon, Colorado
Dillon is a home rule municipality in Summit County, Colorado, United States. The population was 802 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Dillon is located at ....
. It is a reservoir for the city of Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, and its waters are under the control of Denver Water
Denver Water
Denver Water serves 1.3 million people in the City and County of Denver, Colorado and a portion of its surrounding suburbs. Established in 1918, the utility is a public agency funded by water rates and new tap fees, not taxes. It is Colorado's oldest and largest water utility.-Overview:A five...
. Popular ski towns are close to the reservoir, including Copper Mountain
Copper Mountain
-Landforms in Canada:*Copper Mountain in Alberta*Copper Mountain in British Columbia-Landforms in the United States:*Copper Mountain in Alaska*Copper Mountain in Arizona*Copper Mountain in Colorado...
, Keystone
Keystone, Colorado
Keystone is a census-designated place in Summit County, Colorado, United States. The population was 825 at the 2000 census. The Dillon Post Office serves Keystone postal addresses....
, Arapahoe Basin
Arapahoe Basin
Arapahoe Basin is a ski area for alpine skiing high in White River National Forest of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Arapahoe Basin is also known for its especially long season—often staying open until early July, whereas most other northern ski areas close in early May...
, and Breckenridge
Breckenridge, Colorado
Established in 1859, the historic town of Breckenridge is a home rule municipality that is the county seat of Summit County, Colorado, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the town had a population of 4,540. The town also has many part-time residents, as many people have vacation homes in the area...
.
History
Dillon Reservoir was originally a naturally formed lake that remained unnoticed until the mid-19th century, when gold was discovered in the area. Upon this discovery, the trade post town of Dillon was formed. The town of Dillon was on the bank of the Blue RiverBlue River (Colorado)
The Blue River is a tributary of the Colorado River, approximately long, in the U.S. state of Colorado.It rises in southern Summit County, on the western side of the continental divide in the Ten Mile Range, near Quandary Peak. It flows north past Blue River and Breckenridge, then through the...
and was the most populous area in Summit County. In the mid-20th century, ski resorts were becoming popular, outweighing the mines in the economy of the area; the town lost many residents to them. The lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
became a target for expansion by the city of Denver, who deemed it necessary to have a water reserve in the high country.
The dam was constructed in 1961, enlarging the small finger lake into the massive reservoir it is today. The original town of Dillon was left to be flooded over and residents were forced to move. Underneath the west side of the lake, the original town is still visible. The original road leading to the old town, seen easily from both the dam road and Swan Mountain Road, is still used as a boat ramp.
Both Dillon and Frisco have marinas on the reservoir.
Tourism
During ski season, thousands of people flock to the Dillon Reservoir area. Dillon Reservoir is close to four ski-resorts. Arapahoe Basin is medium sized resort that is approximately ten miles from the lake. Keystone Ski Resort is a large tourist destination that is located approximately five miles away. Breckenridge, which is one of the largest ski resorts in Colorado, is located approximately seven miles from Dillon Reservoir. Copper Mountain is located approximately eight miles from Dillon Reservoir. These resorts stay open all year round.The reservoir is also a center of attraction for the area. During the winter months, ice fishing
Ice fishing
Ice fishing is the practice of catching fish with lines and fish hooks or spears through an opening in the ice on a frozen body of water. Ice anglers may sit on the stool in the open on a frozen lake, or in a heated cabin on the ice, some with bunks and amenities.-Locations:It is a popular pastime...
and snowmobiling are common activities. For the warmer months, the Dillon Lake marina is open and hundreds of sailboats can be seen docked or sailing. Dillon Reservoir marina hosts many weekend racing regattas and also provides sailboats for rent. The Dillon Yacht Club is based out of the Marina and also hosts many sailing events. Dillon Reservoir is stocked every year with 50,000 rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
by the Colorado Division of Wildlife.
Due to Dillon Reservoir’s proximity to the towns of Dillon and Frisco, the lake has many lodging, camping, and RV sites.
Weather
Dillon averages around 250–300 inches of snow a year. It generally snows from late September to mid-May. There are nearly 300 days of sun during the year, and this keeps the area snow totals lower than the average amount of precipitation the area receives. Almost every day of the year, some sort of precipitation will fall from the sky, with July generally being the wettest month of the year. July is usually the warmest month of the year also with the average high around 73 °F (22.8 °C). January is the coldest month of the year with the average high being around 31 °F (-.6 °C). The average low in July is 40 °F (4.4 °C), and the average low in January is 2 °F (-16.7 °C).Geography
Dillon Reservoir has a maximum elevation of 9017 feet (2,748.4 m) above sea level and a capacity of 257304 acre.ft. Its shore length is approximately 26.8 miles (43.1 km). Dillon Dam is 5888 feet (1,794.7 m) long and 231 feet (70.4 m) wide. The average depth of the reservoir is 79 feet (24.1 m). It has a regulated water level and it has a catchment area of 330 square miles (854.7 km²).Security Issues
In 2008, residents of surrounding areas found Dillon Dam Road closed on numerous occasions for security reasons.In January 2008, the Summit County Sheriff Dept. found two men videotaping a music video on the dam road, already closed at the time for weather purposes. As is protocol for possible threats involving dams, the FBI were asked to investigate the situation as well. The men were cleared of any suspicious activity though the dam remained closed for a short time afterward.
On July 8 of the same year, Denver Water closed the dam road indefinitely to all vehicular traffic excluding emergency vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists, inciting a lawsuit against the utility company by Summit County representatives. Despite having spent $10 million on increasing security measures for the dam since September 11, the utility felt the dam was still at risk of possible threats, especially to the town of Silverthorne, which lies north, and directly beneath, the dam.
The dam road was re-opened on July 25, but with strict stipulations imposed by Denver Water, including weight restrictions on vehicles, officers in security vehicles being placed on either end of the dam at any time during the day, and closing the road from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Emergency vehicles requiring the use of the road during the closed hours must lower the steel barricades on both ends to get through.
Water Use
Dillon Reservoir is the largest water storage facility owned and operated by Denver Water. The reservoir is currently at approximately forty percent of capacity, holding 257304 acre.ft of water. Of that, 249000 acre.ft is “usable” water. “Usable” is defined as being free to use due to legal, operational, or physical constraints. Customers of Denver Water number upwards of 1.3 million people who consume an annual 265000 acre.ft of water.To reach that level, Denver water uses several sources of which Dillon Reservoir provides forty percent of the total amount, or 106000 acre.ft. The reservoir has an annual median usable water level of ninety-two percent.
As a measure of volume, an acre-foot of water is equal to 325,851 gallons. One acre-foot of water will, on average, service 2.5 single-family households per year.
As Dillon reservoir is on the west side of the continental divide, in 1962 the Harold D. Roberts Tunnel was completed to bring water to Denver across the Divide. Because of the large concentration of population of the eastern side of the state, and the concentration of water sources on the western slope, the State of Colorado, and Denver Water have determined it necessary to transfer water from west to east in order to support the population.
Service Area
The Denver Water service area extends from the borders of Highlands Ranch north to Denver International Airport and just north of Interstate 70. The service area also extends from the edge of west edge of Aurora to the east edge of Morrison. The exception in this region is that Denver Water does not cover the City of Edgewater. Legally, Denver water is not obligated to, nor does it provide customers the information of which watershed their tap water originated.External links
- Dillon Marina.com - official site
- Water.Denver.CO.gov - Dillon Reservoir 1963
- FishExplorer.com - Current lake conditions and information
- Google video - A sunset cruise on Lake Dillon
- Lake Dillon Lake Dillon Fire Protection District
- Dillon Tourist Info - Dillon Tourist info
- Dillon Home Page
- Dillon Yacht Club
- Snow totals for area