PROJ00474

• Contract/PO #: FS0005x
• Contractor Name: Central Colorado Water Conservancy District
• County: El Paso
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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RESERVOIRS ON BOX ELDER CREEK

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Bootleg Reservoir

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Bootleg Reservoir is located in Section 12, Township 1 South, Range 65
West in Adams County, about six miles south of the town of Hudson (see map,
Figure 4). The map and filing statement was filed by Mr. H. L. Bowles on
April 21, 1906. The original filing called for a maximum depth of 40 feet
and a capacity of 6,200 acre-feet. The source of water was to be from
"storm water and underflow" from Box Elder Creek. The dam was probably
constructed sometime between 1909 and 1920. The Henrylyn Irrigation
District now owns the decree for Bootleg Reservoir, as well as the damsite
itself, comprising about 80 acres of land. The Henrylyn Irrigation
District also owns rights-of-way to inundate the land behind the dam.
Flows captured in Bootleg Reservoir are first delivered to Klug Reservoir,
the senior water right on Box Elder Creek. Once Klug is full, water
captured in Bootleg is available for use in the Henrylyn District.

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Bootleg was breached for safety reasons on April 19, 1984. Appendix B
contains information from the State Engineer's files regarding the dam at
Bootleg Reservoir..

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There has been some discussion of pumping surplus South Platte River
flows from the Denver Hudson Canal into Bootleg Reservoir. The
feasibility, construction cost, and operation cost of such a project is not
known.

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Klug Reservoir

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Klug Reservoir (also known as Klug Reservoir No.3) is located in
Sections 12 and 13, Township 2 North, Range 65 West in Weld County. The
map and filing statement was filed by Mr. J. P. Klug on September 9, 1919.
The original filing called for a maximum depth of approximately 20 feet and
a capacity of 714.5 acre-feet. The claimed sources of water included the
Neres Canal (a FRICO facility delivering Barr Lake and Beebe Draw waters)
and natural flows of Box Elder Creek. The Neres inlet does not exist
today.

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The dam was constructed in 1920 or 1921 and was used regularly until a
flood (s) damaged the structure in the mid-1930s. The reservoir was not
repaired until 1945. The reservoir was again used regularly through 1955,
when persistent drought prevented regular filling until the mid-1960s.

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Deterioration of the structure led to a breach order by the State
Engineer. The dam was partially breached in 1984. A small pool of about
10 to 15 acre-feet remains. Appendix C contains information from the State
Engineer's files regarding the dam at Klug Reservoir. The reservoir and
associated water rights are now owned by Mr. Alvin Dechant, who has
expressed interest in reconstruction of the reservoir.

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