Ruedi Reservoir

Ruedi Reservoir is a reservoir on the Western Slope of the Continental Divide on the Fryingpan River. It sits about 15 miles (24 km) upstream of the town of Basalt, Colorado, near Aspen.[3] The reservoir is located within the White River National Forest, and straddles the county line between Pitkin County and Eagle County.

Ruedi Reservoir
Looking eastward, upstream, on the Fryingpan River to Ruedi Dam and Reservoir
Ruedi Reservoir
Location in Colorado
LocationPitkin and Eagle counties
Coordinates39°21′47″N 106°47′05″W[1]
Typereservoir
Part ofColorado River Basin
Primary inflowsFryingpan River
Primary outflowsFryingpan River
Managing agencyUnited States Bureau of Reclamation
Built1968
Surface area997 acres (403 ha)[2]
Water volume101,280 acre⋅ft (124,930,000 m3) [2]
Surface elevation2,369 m (7,772 ft) [1]

The reservoir and the Ruedi Dam were built from 1964 through 1968. They're both owned and operated by the United States Bureau of Reclamation. One purpose of the reservoir is to help compensate for diversions to Colorado's East Slope, taken further up in the Fryingpan Basin as part of Reclamation's federal Fryingpan-Arkansas Project. Another purpose of the reservoir is to provide water for West Slope interests.[3] The dam is located in Eagle County.

Ruedi stores approximately 102,000 acre feet (126,000,000 m3) of water.[3] Water in the reservoir is released through Ruedi Dam down the Fryingpan primarily for municipal, industrial, and agricultural interests. A side benefit of the reservoir is recreation. Boating, fishing and camping are popular at the reservoir itself, while the downstream portion of the Fryingpan River has become well regarded as a Gold Medal fishery.

Typically, releases from Ruedi follow a seasonal pattern. The USGS page for streamflow below Ruedi Dam provides up-to-date information for water released to the Lower Fryingpan in cubic-foot -per-minute measurements.

Hydroelectric power plant

A hydroelectric power plant that sits at the base of the dam produces 5.0 megawatts of electricity. Built in 1985, the plant supplies electricity to the City of Aspen and is owned by the city.[2]

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See also
  • List of largest reservoirs of Colorado
  • Media related to Ruedi Dam at Wikimedia Commons

References
  1. "Ruedi Reservoir". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. "Facts". Ruedi Water and Power Authority. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
  3. U.S Department of the Interior: "Water and Power resources Service, Project Data." U.S. Government Printing Office, 1981
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