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<br />water supply system, fishing pier, bathing beach,
<br />diving platform and pier, and sanitary facilities.
<br />On the north shore of the reservoir a floating
<br />boat dock and walkway have been constructed.
<br />An overlook and picnic shelter have been located
<br />on a promontory west of the dam. The Boy
<br />Scouts, Girl Scouts, and the Southeastern Colo-
<br />rado Recreation Association have established
<br />camp areas in the vicinity.
<br />It was originally estimated that the recrea-
<br />tional facilities would probably attract about
<br />8,000 visitors annually; however, actual attend-
<br />ance has far surpassed all expectations. This
<br />is demonstrated by the fact that attendance for
<br />the period of operation has averaged about
<br />166,400 visitors annually since 1950. In 1962,
<br />some quarter of a million persons visited the
<br />project.
<br />
<br />Cherry Creek Dam and Reservoir
<br />
<br />Completed in 1950, Cherry Creek Dam and
<br />Reservoir is located some 6 miles southeast
<br />of Denver on the creek from which the project
<br />takes its name. Its primary purpose is to pro-
<br />tect Denver from the flash floods that occur
<br />un Cherry Creek.
<br />An earth-fill structure, the dam rises 140 feet
<br />above the stream bed and is 14,300 feet long.
<br />The project was initially operated as a dry
<br />reservoir but in 1958, at the request of the Gover-
<br />nor of Colorado, 10,000 acre-feet of storage was
<br />impounded for conservation purposes. Later,
<br />because of the growing popularity of the pool
<br />as a sports area, an agreement was executed
<br />between the State and the Corps of Engineers
<br />providing approximately 15,000 acre-feet of
<br />storage for i:onservation, leaving a reservation
<br />of 70,000 acre-feet for flood control and 10,000
<br />acre-feet for sedimentation. Total storage ca-
<br />pacity of the reservoir is 95,000 acre-feet.
<br />At the request of irrigators along the South
<br />Platte River downstream from Cherry Creek,
<br />the reservoir is operated in such a mapner as to
<br />have a minimum effect, consistent with its
<br />primary function, on the junior water rights
<br />downstream.
<br />The "Master Plan for Reservoir Development,
<br />Cherry Creek Reservoir" was issued in April
<br />1959. The entire project area, except for the
<br />dam and structures, is under lease to the State
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<br />of Colorado for park and recreational purposes.
<br />The Corps has completed construction of a
<br />hard-surfaced main entrance drive, and the
<br />Colorado State Park and Recreation Board
<br />and the Game and Fish Department are installing
<br />extensive facilities for boating, water skiing,
<br />parking, picnicking, water supply and fishing
<br />access. Public acceptance of the developing
<br />recreational facilities is evident in the attend-
<br />ance records of the area. Begun in 1959, these
<br />records show 168,700 visitors for the balance of
<br />1959 and 399,324 visitors in 1960. The figure
<br />is now in the neighborhood of half a million
<br />annually.
<br />The total cost of the Cherry Creek project to
<br />the Federal Government was $14,768,000.
<br />Average annual benefits of $1,757,000 are
<br />attributable to the protective works.
<br />
<br />Other Projects
<br />
<br />In addition to several channel and floodway
<br />projects, the Corps has underway or scheduled
<br />a number of investigations of proposed flood
<br />protection and water conservation projects.
<br />These studies include areas on the Colorado
<br />River and its tributaries, on the South Platte
<br />River and tributaries, and on the Arkansas
<br />River.
<br />The studies are closely coordinated with State
<br />and local officials and with other Federal
<br />agencies. Overall coordination among all Fed-
<br />eral and State agencies working to develop land
<br />and water resources of the Missouri and Arkansas
<br />River basins is accomplished through the Mis-
<br />souri Basin Inter-Agency Committee and the
<br />the similarly constituted Arkansas-White-Red
<br />Basins Inter-Agency Committee, respectively.
<br />For the Colorado River Basin, coordination is
<br />accomplished through the Pacific Southwest
<br />Inter-Agency Committee.
<br />The development of natural resources is re..
<br />ceiving constantly increasing attention by the
<br />people of the State and their local and Federal
<br />agencies. This is contributing to the industrial,
<br />urban, and agricultural growth of Colorado.
<br />(For futher information concerning Corps of
<br />Engineers programs and projects in Colorado,
<br />write for .. Water Resources Development",
<br />U.S. Army Engineer Division, 215 North 17th
<br />Street, Omaha 2, Nebr.)
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