WSP03221

• File Number: 8441.100
• Description: Colorado Big Thompson Project - Project Description
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 1/1/1950
• Title: The Colorado - Big Thompson Project
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Project Overview

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co) to Dillon; anri tr...8e 200 kv-a, single phase, 69/2.3 kv transformers
I>- for serving the camp, dam, end Dower plant station service.
{.Jl ~olorado ":\1 VeT ImprO"'lem~nts .--~egulAticn of Colorado 'qi ver nows
00 at the newly created Granby Reservoir affects the streamflow between
Granby Reservoir and the mouth of Blue Rivero Provisions for the
preservation of veste~ and future rights of water users along this
section of the river include 1~prove~ents to safe~lard water supplies
for irrigated landsj municioalities, and fish and wildlife. Head-
works for 16 existing ditches were repaired and improved, and canal
systems and dikes were built for the irrigation of meadow lands
along the river. Along the lower reaches of the improvement area,
where the Colorado ~iver under natural conditions provides for irri-
gation of the meadows by overflow and flooding} seven pumping units
were installed in corrugated-me tal-pipe sumps with pipe intakes
leading from the river~ Plans to provide an alternate domestic
water supply for the town of Hot Sulphur Springs were terminated,
by mutual agreement, with a cash settlement~ Municipal water supplies
for the to~n of Kremmling have not been impaired by project develop-
ment. Improvements are being provided for the protection of fish
and wildlife against strea~ow depletions resulting from regulation
of the ri ver.

Colorado River Collection and Storage System

This system includes facilities for the collection and delivery
of project waters to Grand Lak8 for diversion to the Eastern Slone.
Component features provide for the diversion of Willow Creek water
to Granby Reservoir, the regulation and storage of Colorado River
water, the pumping and transporting of divertible waters from Granby
~eservoir to Grand LakeJ an~ the diversion of North Fork waters to
Grand Lake.

Granby Reservoir, located on the Colorado ~iver about five
miles northeast of GranbYJ covers an area of 7,256 acres and oro-
vldes 544,900 acre-feet of storage canAcity, inclurling 467J500 acre-
feet of active capacity for operation of the Granby Pumping Plant
and 77,400 acre-feet below the elevation of the Dump intakes~ Prior
to being exoorted to the Eastern Slooe, ne~rly all nroject waters
are stored in this reservoir. Completion of the reservoir included
construction of Granby Dam and Dikes, relocating eight miles of
State Highway No. 280 and 14 miles of telephone line, and raising
two ~les of U. S. Highway No. 34 at low places along the ~~st shore
line of the reservoir~

The Gra"by Dam and Dikes (1941-1942 and 1946-1949) are earth
and rockfill type structures. The dam, located on the Colorado River
about l~ miles below the ~outh of the South Fork, has a maximum height
of 300 feet above foundation, a crest length of 930 feet, and a
volume of 2;983~853 cubic yards. Its crest at elevation 8290.5 is
topped by a concrete parapet and cu~b and is traversed by relocated

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