Chatfield Reservoir

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Chatfield Reservoir

Chatfield dam
Location Douglas / Jefferson counties, Colorado, USA
Coordinates 39°32′50″N 105°03′54″W / 39.547206°N 105.065002°W / 39.547206; -105.065002Coordinates: 39°32′50″N 105°03′54″W / 39.547206°N 105.065002°W / 39.547206; -105.065002
Type reservoir
Primary inflows South Platte River
Primary outflows South Platte River
Catchment area 3,000 sq mi (7,800 km2)
Basin countries United States
Surface area 1,500 acres (610 ha)
Max. depth 47 m

Chatfield Reservoir and dam on the South Platte River south of Littleton, Colorado were built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers as a response to the disastrous flood of 1965. In addition to its primary purpose of flood control, it serves as one of many water supply reservoirs for the city of Denver, Colorado. Construction of the project was begun in 1967 and the dam was completed in 1975.

The massive breastworks of the dam measure approximately 13,136 feet (4,004 m) in length with a maximum height of the dam of 147 feet (45 m) above the streambed. The normal depth of the lake is 47 feet (14 m) at its deepest point. This means the dam towers 100 feet (30 m) above the mean surface of the reservoir.

The lake drains an area of more than 3,000 square miles (8,000 km²). The 1,500 acre (6 km²) lake has a conservation storage capacity of 27,000 acre·ft (0.033 km3) with a flood-control pool of over 350,000 acre·ft (0.43 km3)

The reservoir is surrounded by Chatfield State Park, a recreation area with boating, horseback riding and camping. A secondary inflow from the south is Plum Creek.

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