Ridgway Reservoir
is a lake impounded by
Ridgway Dam
Ridgway Dam is an earthen dam on the Uncompahgre River which impounds Ridgway Reservoir, located about 6 miles (10 km) north of the town of Ridgway, Colorado, Ridgway in Ouray County, Colorado. The dam is high and long, with a capacity of o ...
() on the
Uncompahgre River
The Uncompahgre River is a tributary of the Gunnison River, approximately 75 mi (121 km) long, in southwestern Colorado in the United States. Lake Como at 12,215 ft (3723m) in northern San Juan County, in the Uncompahgre National ...
north of the town of
Ridgway in
Ouray County, Colorado
Ouray County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,874. The county seat is Ouray. Because of its rugged mountain topography, Ouray County is also known as the Switzerland of America.
H ...
in the western
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.
Ridgway Dam was built as part of the Dallas Creek Project. Construction began in 1978 and completed in 1987. The lake was first filled in 1990 as an aid to irrigation of the
Uncompahgre Valley
The Uncompahgre Valley is an agricultural valley of the Uncompahgre River around the town of Montrose in the western part of the U.S. state of Colorado. The valley is bounded to the south and east by the San Juan Mountains and to the west by t ...
and flood control. Today recreation opportunities are provided at
Ridgway State Park
Ridgway State Park is a state park located in Ouray County, Colorado. The park is 21 miles southeast of Montrose, 14 miles northeast of Ouray, it is also 4 miles north of the town of Ridgway and 312 miles southwest of Denver. The current wild ...
along the lake.
See also
*
List of largest reservoirs of Colorado
This is a list of the largest reservoirs in the state of Colorado. All thirty-eight reservoirs that contain greater than are included in the list. Most of the larger reservoirs in the state are owned by the United States Bureau of Reclamation and, ...
References
External links
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation - Dallas Creek Project
Gallery
File:Sneffels Range and Ridgway Reservoir.jpeg, Sneffels Range and Ridgway Reservoir
Bodies of water of Ouray County, Colorado
Reservoirs in Colorado
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