| Lake Pueblo State Park | |
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| Location | Pueblo County, Colorado, USA |
| Nearest city | Pueblo, CO |
| Area | 10,279 acres (41.60 km2) |
| Established | 1975 |
| Governing body | Colorado State Parks |
Lake Pueblo State Park is a state park located in Pueblo County, Colorado. It includes 60 miles (97 km) of shoreline and 10,000 acres (40 km2) of land. Activities it offers include two full-service marinas, recreational fishing, hiking, camping and swimming at a special swim beach.[1]
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Lake Pueblo (previously known as Pueblo Reservoir) has a maximum depth of 135 feet (41 m) and is impounded by Pueblo Dam.[2]
Pueblo Dam was constructed in the 1960s following a flood on the Arkansas River in Pueblo County. The main purpose was for the lake to be a water storage center for the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project as well as flood control for the lower Arkansas Valley.[3] The Lake is able to store a total of 357,678 acre feet (441,189,000 m3) of water when at full capacity. Levels in 2009 were reported as a total of 234,347 in active acre-feet storage of water.[4]
The land surrounding the reservoir is very diverse. Mammals commonly sited or observed at the park include mule deer, coyote, cottontail rabbit, red fox, gray fox, beaver, raccoon, skunk, prairie dogs, and badger. It also plays home to many different reptile species bull snakes, rattlesnakes, sagebrush lizards, coach whips, and box turtles. It is notable in that it also home to a rare species of serpent, the blackneck garter snake.[5]