Dams, reservoirs, and other infrastructure: Difference between revisions
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Additionally, and mainly in the Upper Basin, there are hundreds of reservoirs operated by water districts, irrigation districts, and municipalities, with varying degrees of coordination with the Reclamation system. The total storage capacity of non-system Upper Basin reservoirs is about 2 maf. In the Lower Basin, the infrastructure operated separately from the Colorado River system is all in the Gila River basin, most of it operated by the Salt River Project. Total storage capacity in the Gila basin, excluding projects used solely for flood control, is about 5 maf. | Additionally, and mainly in the Upper Basin, there are hundreds of reservoirs operated by water districts, irrigation districts, and municipalities, with varying degrees of coordination with the Reclamation system. The total storage capacity of non-system Upper Basin reservoirs is about 2 maf. In the Lower Basin, the infrastructure operated separately from the Colorado River system is all in the Gila River basin, most of it operated by the Salt River Project. Total storage capacity in the Gila basin, excluding projects used solely for flood control, is about 5 maf. | ||
Table 1 lists the 10 largest reservoirs within the Colorado River Basin by capacity for water-supply storage only, not including the flood-control pool, if any. Most of the basin’s water storage–and hydropower capacity–is at Lake Mead and Lake Powell. | Table 1 lists the 10 largest reservoirs within the Colorado River Basin by capacity for water-supply storage only, not including the flood-control pool, if any. Most of the basin’s water storage–and hydropower capacity–is at Lake Mead and Lake Powell. | ||
'''Table 1. The 10 largest reservoirs within the Colorado River Basin. The reservoirs in italics are not part of the Colorado River ''system'' as managed by Reclamation, though their respective operations may be coordinated with Reclamation’s operations.''' | '''Table 1. The 10 largest reservoirs within the Colorado River Basin. The reservoirs in italics are not part of the Colorado River ''system'' as managed by Reclamation, though their respective operations may be coordinated with Reclamation’s operations.''' | ||
Revision as of 18:25, 4 March 2024
Overview
The natural channels and functions of the Colorado River and its tributaries have been overlain and modified by an enormous network of water infrastructure. Large dams and reservoirs are the most obvious elements of this infrastructure, which also includes canals, ditches, tunnels, pump stations, pipelines, and hydropower generation. While nearly all major rivers in the western U.S. have similar water supply infrastructure, the Colorado River system stands out in its ratio of reservoir storage to the annual average streamflow (about 4:1) and the amount of the river’s total natural streamflow that is consumptively used (100% in most years).
Dams and reservoirs
There are 15 major dams on the Colorado River mainstem, 8 of which impound reservoirs, and hundreds of dams and impoundments on the tributaries. Total reservoir storage capacity across the basin is about 67 million acre-feet (maf). The vast majority of this capacity, about 60 maf, is impounded by dams that are operated by Reclamation as a coordinated Colorado River system. Most of this system storage capacity is in Lake Mead (26 maf) and Lake Powell (23 maf).
Additionally, and mainly in the Upper Basin, there are hundreds of reservoirs operated by water districts, irrigation districts, and municipalities, with varying degrees of coordination with the Reclamation system. The total storage capacity of non-system Upper Basin reservoirs is about 2 maf. In the Lower Basin, the infrastructure operated separately from the Colorado River system is all in the Gila River basin, most of it operated by the Salt River Project. Total storage capacity in the Gila basin, excluding projects used solely for flood control, is about 5 maf. Table 1 lists the 10 largest reservoirs within the Colorado River Basin by capacity for water-supply storage only, not including the flood-control pool, if any. Most of the basin’s water storage–and hydropower capacity–is at Lake Mead and Lake Powell.
Table 1. The 10 largest reservoirs within the Colorado River Basin. The reservoirs in italics are not part of the Colorado River system as managed by Reclamation, though their respective operations may be coordinated with Reclamation’s operations.
| Reservoir (Dam, if different name) | River | State | Dam Operator (Owner, if different) | Capacity (water-supply storage), AF | Hydropower installed capacity, MW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mead (Hoover) | mainstem | NV/AZ | Reclamation | 26,100,000 | 2079 |
| Powell (Glen Canyon) | mainstem | UT/AZ | Reclamation | 23,314,000 | 1320 |
| Flaming Gorge | Green | UT/WY | Reclamation | 3,671,100 | 152 |
| Mohave (Davis) | mainstem | AZ/CA | Reclamation | 1,801,200 | 255 |
| Navajo | San Juan | NM/CO | Reclamation | 1,674,900 | 32 |
| Roosevelt | Salt | AZ | Salt River Project (Reclamation) | 1,653,000 | 36 |
| Strawberry (Soldier Creek) | Strawberry | UT | Central Utah WCD (Reclamation) | 1,105,900 | n/a |
| Blue Mesa | Gunnison | CO | Reclamation | 827,500 | 86 |
| Havasu (Parker) | mainstem | AZ/CA | Reclamation | 618,300 | 120 |
| Granby | mainstem | CO | Northern Water & Reclamation (Reclamation) | 539,800 | 1 |
Data and tools
[URL_Tool1 Name_Tool1]
[URL_Tool2 Name_Tool2]
[URL_Tool3 Name_Tool3]
Additional resources
State of the Science Report
Chapter # of the State of the Science report, describes...