Lake Nighthorse

Lake Nighthorse
Location Colorado
Coordinates 37°13′29.99″N 107°54′53.16″W / 37.2249972°N 107.9147667°W / 37.2249972; -107.9147667Coordinates: 37°13′29.99″N 107°54′53.16″W / 37.2249972°N 107.9147667°W / 37.2249972; -107.9147667
Type reservoir
Primary inflows Durango Pumping Plant (Animas River)
Primary outflows Basin Creek (Outflow returns to the Animas River)
Basin countries United States
Surface area 1,490 acres (600 ha)[1]
Water volume 120,000 acre feet (150,000,000 m3)[2]

Lake Nighthorse is a reservoir created by the 270 feet (82 m) high Ridges Basin Dam[1] Southwest of Durango in La Plata County Colorado. As part of the Animas-La Plata Water Project, Lake Nighthorse provides water storage for tribal and water right claim-holders along the Animas River.

History

First authorized by the U.S. Congress on September 30, 1968 (Public Law 90-537),[3] the Animas-La Plata Water Project, as it came to be known, experience several decades of delays due in part to political concerns, farming claims, environmental challenges, cost overruns and government funding issues. A breakthrough to the delays came with the Colorado Ute Settlement Act Amendments in December 2000 (Public Law 106-554).[4]

The Bureau of Reclamation began construction in 2003, with the reservoir filling to capacity on June 29, 2011 at a total cost of $500 million. Lake Nighthorse is named in honor of former United States Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, R-Colo.[5][6]

Recreation and marinas

The lake is currently closed to the public. However, as of March 2015, the Bureau or Reclamation was working with the City of Durango on a recreation lease and annexation agreement, as well as a cultural resource management plan to comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Additional construction at the reservoir is planned to start in the summer of 2015.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 "Project Information". usbr.gov. Bureau of Reclamation. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  2. 1 2 "US Bureau of Reclamation Project Status". US Department of the Interior. 23 March 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  3. ↑ "Colorado River Basin Project Act" (PDF). usbr.gov. Bureau of Reclamation. 1968. pp. 11–14. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "Colorado Ute Settlement Act Amendments" (PDF). gpo.gov. U.S. Government Printing Office. 21 December 2000. pp. 258–266. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  5. ↑ "Lake Nighthorse reaches capacity". Durango Herald. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  6. ↑ "Project Overview". Bureau of Reclamation. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
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