List of dams in the Colorado River system explained

This is a list of dams on the Colorado River system of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. The Colorado runs 1450miles from the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of California, draining parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states. The river system is one of the most heavily developed in the world, with fifteen dams on the main stem of the Colorado and hundreds more on tributaries. Collectively, dams in the Colorado River basin can hold four to five times the river's annual flow, generating hydroelectricity and supplying irrigation and municipal water for over 35 million people.

Dams on tributaries are listed if they are taller than 250feet, store more than 50000abbr=onNaNabbr=on, or are otherwise historically notable. Tributary dams are organized into two lists; those in the Upper Basin, defined as the half of the Colorado River basin above Lee's Ferry, Arizona, and the Lower Basin. The Upper Basin include such tributary systems as the Green, Gunnison and San Juan. Tributaries in the Lower Basin include the Little Colorado, Virgin and Gila. A key tributary of the San Juan River, the Animas River, was severely affected by the EPA's accidental August 2015 Gold King Mine waste water spill.

Notes:

• Flood control: Temporary retention and quick release of flood flows
• Hydropower: Generation of electricity utilizing water flow through the hydraulic head provided by the dam and reservoir
• Irrigation: Provision and storage of water for agriculture
• Municipal: Provision and storage of water for residential, commercial and industrial uses
• Regulation: To control erratic inflows to provide either a stable flow downstream or to release water on demand to downstream users

Main stem

Name	State	Owner	Purpose	Year completed	Reservoir	Reservoir capacity	Capacity (MW)	Annual generation (MWh)	Refs
		IBWC	Irrigation	1950	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	[1]
Laguna Diversion Dam		USBR	Diversion	1905	Mittry Lake	N/A	N/A	N/A	[2]
Imperial Dam		USBR	Irrigation	1938	Imperial Reservoir	acre.ft (197,400 dam3)	N/A	N/A	[3]
Palo Verde Dam		USBR	Diversion	1958	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	[4]
Headgate Rock Dam		BIA	Irrigation	1941	Moovalya Lake	N/A		?	[5] [6]
Parker Dam		USBR	Hydropower Irrigation Municipal	1938	Lake Havasu	acre.ft (797,100 dam3)			[7]
Davis Dam		USBR	Hydropower Regulation	1951	Lake Mohave	acre.ft (2,242,800 dam3)			[8] [9]
Hoover Dam		USBR	Flood control Hydropower Irrigation Municipal Regulation	1936	Lake Mead	acre.ft (35,702,400 dam3)			[10] [11]
Glen Canyon Dam		USBR	Hydropower Regulation	1966	Lake Powell	acre.ft (32,334,900 dam3)			[12] [13]
Price-Stubb Dam		PCID MCID	Irrigation	1911	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	[14]
Grand Valley Diversion Dam		USBR	Irrigation	1916	N/A	N/A			[15]
Windy Gap Dam		Northern Water	Irrigation Municipal	1970	Windy Gap Reservoir	acre.ft (549 dam3)	N/A	N/A	[16]
Granby Dam		USBR	Irrigation Municipal	1950	Lake Granby	acre.ft (665,800 dam3)	N/A	N/A	[17]
Shadow Mountain Dam		USBR	Irrigation Municipal	1946	Shadow Mountain Lake	acre.ft (22,700 dam3)	N/A	N/A	[18]
Total						acre.ft (71,963,595 dam3)

Upper Basin

Name	State	Stream	Owner	Purpose	Year completed	Reservoir	Reservoir capacity	Capacity (MW)	Annual generation (MWh)	Refs
Blue Mesa Dam		Gunnison	USBR	Flood control Hydropower Regulation	1966	Blue Mesa Reservoir	acre.ft (1,160,300 dam3)			[19]
Dillon Dam		Blue	Denver Water	Irrigation Municipal	1963	Dillon Reservoir	acre.ft (317,373 dam3)		?	[20] [21]
Flaming Gorge Dam		Green	USBR	Flood control Hydropower Regulation	1964	Flaming Gorge Reservoir	acre.ft (4,673,200 dam3)			[22]
Fontenelle Dam		Green	USBR	Flood control Irrigation	1964	Fontenelle Reservoir	acre.ft (426,990 dam3)			[23]
Green Mountain Dam		Blue	USBR	Hydropower Regulation	1943	Green Mountain Reservoir	acre.ft (189,507 dam3)			[24] [25]
Joes Valley Dam		Seely Cr.	USBR	Irrigation Municipal	1966	Joes Valley Reservoir	acre.ft (67,740 dam3)	N/A	N/A	[26]
McPhee Dam		Dolores	USBR	Flood control Irrigation	1984	McPhee Reservoir	acre.ft (470,187 dam3)			[27] [28]
Morrow Point Dam		Gunnison	USBR	Hydropower	1968	Morrow Point Reservoir	acre.ft (144,550 dam3)			[29] [30]
Navajo Dam		San Juan	USBR	Flood control Irrigation Municipal Regulation	1962	Navajo Lake	acre.ft (2,107,500 dam3)			[31] [32]
Ridges Basin Dam		Offstream	USBR	Irrigation	2007	Lake Nighthorse	acre.ft (148,000 dam3)	N/A	N/A	[33]
Ridgway Dam		Uncompahgre	USBR	Flood control Irrigation	1987	Ridgway Reservoir	acre.ft (104,120 dam3)	N/A	N/A	[34]
Ruedi Dam		Fryingpan	USBR	Irrigation Municipal	1968	Ruedi Reservoir	acre.ft (125,800 dam3)	N/A	N/A	[35]
Scofield Dam		Price	USBR	Irrigation Municipal	1946	Scofield Reservoir	acre.ft (90,780 dam3)	N/A	N/A	[36]
Soldier Creek Dam		Strawberry	USBR	Irrigation Municipal	1974	Strawberry Reservoir	acre.ft (1,390,860 dam3)	N/A	N/A	[37]
Starvation Dam		Strawberry	USBR	Irrigation	1970	Starvation Reservoir	acre.ft (206,400 dam3)	N/A	N/A	[38]
Taylor Park Dam		Taylor	USBR	Irrigation	1937	Taylor Park Reservoir	acre.ft (130,990 dam3)	N/A	N/A	[39]
Vallecito Dam		Los Pinos River	USBR	Irrigation	1941	Vallecito Reservoir	acre.ft (160,000 dam3)	N/A	N/A	[40]
Vega Dam		Plateau Creek	USBR	Irrigation	1959	Vega Reservoir	acre.ft (41,691 dam3)	N/A	N/A	[41]
Williams Fork Dam		Williams Fork	Denver Water	Irrigation Municipal	1959	Williams Fork Reservoir	acre.ft (119,426 dam3)		?	[42]
Wolford Mountain Dam		Muddy Cr.	CRWCD	Irrigation Municipal	1996	Wolford Mountain Reservoir	acre.ft (81,400 dam3)	N/A	N/A	[43]
Total							acre.ft (12,114,080 dam3)

Lower Basin

Name	State	Stream	Owner	Purpose	Year completed	Reservoir	Reservoir capacity	Capacity (MW)	Annual generation (MWh)	Refs
Alamo Dam		Bill Williams	USACE	Flood control	1968	Alamo Lake	acre.ft (1,286,500 dam3)	N/A	N/A	[44]
Bartlett Dam		Verde	USBR	Flood control Irrigation	1939	Bartlett Lake	acre.ft (217,318 dam3)	N/A	N/A	[45]
Coolidge Dam		Gila	BIA	Flood control Irrigation	1930	San Carlos Lake	acre.ft (1,122,400 dam3)	N/A	N/A	[46]
Horse Mesa Dam		Salt	USBR	Hydropower Regulation	1927	Apache Lake	acre.ft (302,367 dam3)			[47]
Horseshoe Dam		Verde	USBR	Flood control Regulation	1946	Horseshoe Lake	acre.ft (162,200 dam3)	N/A	N/A	[48]
Mormon Flat Dam		Salt	USBR	Hydropower Regulation	1925	Canyon Lake	acre.ft (71,358 dam3)			[49]
New Waddell Dam		Agua Fria	USBR	Irrigation Municipal	1994	Lake Pleasant	acre.ft (1,367,409 dam3)		?	[50]
Painted Rock Dam		Gila	USACE	Flood control	1960	Painted Rock Reservoir	acre.ft (3,073,400 dam3)	N/A	N/A	[51]
Sand Hollow Dam		Offstream	WCWCD	Irrigation Municipal	2002	Sand Hollow Reservoir	acre.ft (63,350 dam3)	N/A	N/A
Stewart Mountain Dam		Salt	USBR	Hydropower Regulation	1930	Saguaro Lake	acre.ft (86,052 dam3)			[52]
Theodore Roosevelt Dam		Salt	USBR	Flood control Hydropower Irrigation Municipal	1911	Theodore Roosevelt Lake	acre.ft (3,589,600 dam3)			[53]
Total							acre.ft (11,342,000 dam3)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Morelos Dam . 2013-06-17 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130215213608/http://www.ibwc.state.gov/Water_Data/Colorado/Index.html . 2013-02-15 .
2. Web site: Laguna Diversion Dam . 2009-10-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100406081458/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Laguna+Diversion+Dam . 2010-04-06 . live .
3. Web site: Imperial Reservoir . 2009-09-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110614222041/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Imperial+Diversion+Dam&groupName=General . 2011-06-14 . dead .
4. Web site: Palo Verde Dam . 2009-02-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120925123614/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Palo%20Verde%20Diversion%20Dam . 2012-09-25 . live .
5. Web site: Moovalya Lake. 2013-06-17 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304072704/http://www.waterrights.ca.gov/IID/IIDHearingData/LocalPublish/CRIT4.pdf . 2016-03-04 .
6. Web site: Irrigation at the Lake. Headgate Report . 2013-06-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130628091622/http://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/g4000/hourly/HeadgateReport.pdf . 2013-06-28 . live .
7. Web site: Lake Havasu and Parker Dam . 2011-01-29 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110129065329/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Parker+Dam . 2011-01-29 .
8. Web site: Lake Mohave . 2016-03-01 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160301001207/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Davis+Dam . 2016-03-01 .
9. Web site: Powerplant details - Davis Powerplant - Bureau of Reclamation. www.usbr.gov. 23 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20160301010228/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Powerplant.jsp?fac_Name=Davis+Powerplant. 1 March 2016. live. dmy-all.
10. Web site: Hoover Dam at Lake Mead. 2012-05-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120415100825/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Hoover+Dam . 2012-04-15 . live .
11. Web site: http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Powerplant.jsp?fac_Name=Hoover+Powerplant. www.usbr.gov. 23 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180328190502/https://www.usbr.gov/projects/Powerplant.jsp?fac_Name=Hoover+Powerplant. 28 March 2018. live. dmy-all.
12. Web site: Lake Powell . 2011-05-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121006021056/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Glen+Canyon+Dam&groupName=Overview . 2012-10-06 . dead .
13. Web site: Powerplant project . 2016-09-28 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160928194157/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Powerplant.jsp?fac_Name=Glen%20Canyon%20Powerplant . 2016-09-28 .
14. Web site: PriceStubb Dam. 2013-06-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121010132052/http://www.usbr.gov/uc/wcao/envprog/pdfs/PriceStubbFP-ba.pdf . 2012-10-10 . live .
15. Web site: Project details - Grand Valley Project - Bureau of Reclamation. www.usbr.gov. 23 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20120925150942/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=Grand+Valley+Project. 25 September 2012. live. dmy-all.
16. Web site: Northern Water Windy Gap Project. www.northernwater.org. 23 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20170725012519/http://www.northernwater.org/WaterProjects/WindyGapProject.aspx. 25 July 2017. live. dmy-all.
17. Web site: Lake Granby . 2013-06-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120925155836/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Granby%20Dam . 2012-09-25 . live .
18. Web site: Shadow Mountain . 2011-03-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121004225056/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Shadow+Mountain+Dam&groupName=Overview . 2012-10-04 . live .
19. Web site: Blue Mesa . 2013-06-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121005085717/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Blue%20Mesa%20Dam . 2012-10-05 . live .
20. Web site: Dillon Reservoir . 2013-10-27 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131026102340/http://www.denverwater.org/recreation/dillon.html . 2013-10-26 .
21. Web site: Steely dam - repair work at Dillion spillway - International Water Power. www.waterpowermagazine.com. 12 January 2004 . 23 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180424071514/http://www.waterpowermagazine.com/features/featuresteely-dam-repair-work-at-dillion-spillway. 24 April 2018. live. dmy-all.
22. Web site: Flaming George. 2013-06-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121014092746/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Flaming+Gorge+Dam&groupName=General . 2012-10-14 . live .
23. Web site: Fontenelle Dam . 2011-05-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110408073737/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Fontenelle%20Dam . 2011-04-08 . live .
24. Web site: Green Mountain . 2013-06-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150905164023/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Green+Mountain+Dam&groupName=Overview . 2015-09-05 . live .
25. Web site: http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Powerplant.jsp?fac_Name=Green+Mountain+Powerplant. www.usbr.gov. 23 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180328190457/https://www.usbr.gov/projects/Powerplant.jsp?fac_Name=Green+Mountain+Powerplant. 28 March 2018. live. dmy-all.
26. Web site: Joes Valley Reservoir. 2013-06-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150905102824/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Joes+Valley+Dam&groupName=Overview . 2015-09-05 . live .
27. Web site: McPhee reservoir. 2013-06-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130309141743/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=McPhee+Dam . 2013-03-09 . live .
28. Web site: http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Powerplant.jsp?fac_Name=McPhee+Powerplant. www.usbr.gov. 23 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180424135800/https://www.usbr.gov/projects/Powerplant.jsp?fac_Name=McPhee+Powerplant. 24 April 2018. live. dmy-all.
29. Web site: Morrow Point Reservoir. 2011-05-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111112094323/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Morrow+Point+Dam . 2011-11-12 . live .
30. Web site: Powerplant at Morrow . 2012-10-05 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121005171713/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Powerplant.jsp?fac_Name=Morrow%20Point%20Powerplant . 2012-10-05 .
31. Web site: Navajo Lake. 2013-06-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060340/http://wdr.water.usgs.gov/wy2012/pdfs/09355500.2012.pdf . 2016-03-04 . live .
32. Web site: Navajo Dam - UC Region - Bureau of Reclamation. Bureau of. Reclamation. www.usbr.gov. 23 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20170707185006/https://www.usbr.gov/uc/rm/crsp/navajo/index.html. 7 July 2017. live. dmy-all.
33. Web site: News Archive: Reclamation Celebrates Completion of Ridges Basin Dam. Bureau of. Reclamation. www.usbr.gov. 23 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180425114641/https://www.usbr.gov/newsroom/newsrelease/detail.cfm?RecordID=19521. 25 April 2018. live. dmy-all.
34. Web site: Ridgway Reservoir . 2013-06-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120925155950/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Ridgway%20Dam . 2012-09-25 . live .
35. Web site: Ruedi reservoir. 2012-05-18 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120823073823/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=Fryingpan-Arkansas%20Project . 2012-08-23 .
36. Web site: Scofield reservoir . 2013-06-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120925114330/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Scofield%20Dam . 2012-09-25 . live .
37. Web site: Strawberry reservoir. 2013-06-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150905102357/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Soldier+Creek+Dam&groupName=Overview . 2015-09-05 . live .
38. Web site: Starvation Reservoir. 2011-02-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110721065415/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Starvation+Dam . 2011-07-21 . live .
39. Web site: Project details - Uncompahgre Project - Bureau of Reclamation. www.usbr.gov. 23 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20130316185000/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=Uncompahgre+Project. 16 March 2013. live. dmy-all.
40. Web site: Vallecito Reservoir. 2013-06-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140424001705/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Vallecito+Dam&groupName=Overview . 2014-04-24 . live .
41. Web site: Vega Reservoir . 2016-05-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160928195723/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Vega+Dam&groupName=General . 2016-09-28 . live .
42. Web site: Williams Fork . 2011-10-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111006184703/http://www.denverwater.org/Recreation/WilliamsFork/ . 2011-10-06 . dead .
43. Web site: Wolford Mountain Reservoir . 2014-04-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140413124320/http://www.crwcd.org/page_21 . 2014-04-13 . dead .
44. Web site: Rural Programs - Arizona Department of Water Resources. www.azwater.gov. 2013-06-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20130921062853/http://www.azwater.gov/azdwr/StatewidePlanning/RuralPrograms/OutsideAMAs_PDFs_for_web/Upper_Colorado_River_Planning_Area/Bill_Williams_Watershed.pdf. 2013-09-21. live.
45. Web site: Bartlett Dam and Bartlett Lake. www.srpnet.com. 23 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180424071605/http://www.srpnet.com/water/dams/bartlett.aspx. 24 April 2018. live. dmy-all.
46. Web site: Coolidge Dam, Arizona. 31 October 2001. 21 May 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20011031185425/http://www.usbr.gov/cdams/dams/coolidge.html. 31 October 2001. dead. dmy-all.
47. Web site: Horse Mesa Dam and Apache Lake. www.srpnet.com. 23 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180424072231/http://www.srpnet.com/water/dams/horsemesa.aspx. 24 April 2018. live. dmy-all.
48. Web site: Horseshoe Lake. 2013-06-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130625202226/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Horseshoe+Dam&groupName=Overview . 2013-06-25 . live .
49. Web site: Mormon Flat Dam and Canyon Lake. www.srpnet.com. 23 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180424071848/http://www.srpnet.com/water/dams/mormon.aspx. 24 April 2018. live. dmy-all.
50. Web site: Lake Pleasant Park. 2011-05-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121006020600/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=New+Waddell+Dam&groupName=Overview . 2012-10-06 . live .
51. Web site: Painted Rock Reservoir . 2013-06-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130218073446/http://www.crrel.usace.army.mil/library/specialreports/SR99_06.pdf . 2013-02-18 . live .
52. Web site: Saguaro Lake. 2013-02-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130313020451/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Stewart+Mountain+Dam . 2013-03-13 . live .
53. Web site: TR Dam . 2013-06-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130228043732/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Theodore+Roosevelt+Dam&groupName=Overview . 2013-02-28 . live .