Storage project remaking Chatfield
With the onset of warmer weather many people will be heading to area lakes and reservoirs for a variety of activities including, boating, fishing and paddle boarding. One of the Denver Metro Area’s more popular destinations is Chatfield State Park. The park and reservoir are undergoing a huge reallocation project that could affect your access to certain areas.
Alyssa Brenner from Colorado Parks and Wildlife joined me on my radio show Saturday morning to update listeners on progress of the project. After more than a decade of planning, the Chatfield Storage Reallocation Project is well under way. The more than two-year construction effort will prepare the reservoir to accommodate an additional 20,600 acre feet of water to meet a variety of municipal, agricultural and industrial needs. Currently, the reservoir holds about 27,000 acre feet of water. Eventually it will be capable of holding over 47,000 acre feet of water and the water level could raise as much as 12 vertical feet.
When asked if the reservoir would undergo massive changes, Brenner said, “It’s going to change, but when all is said and done, what we’re looking at is all the same outdoor recreation opportunities that we offer today. If we have a trail today, after reallocation, we’re going to have that trail. It may move but we’re going to have the same things. Everything is being replaced in-kind.”
One change park users may experience is that Chatfield reservoir will most likely experience greater water level fluctuations than in the past.
Right now if you enter the park from the Wadsworth entrance, you can only turn left and follow the road to the north ponds and the dog training area. Currently the north boat ramp is closed. It is scheduled to open April 1. If you enter the Plum Creek entrance on the other side of the park off Titan Road, you can access the marina boat ramp, which is now open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. You can also drive to the river and ponds on the south side from this entrance. The swim beach was closed for reconstruction in late fall and is scheduled to reopen for use by Memorial Day weekend. The beach and park perimeter road will be moved to the west, away from the present shoreline, to accommodate greater water fluctuations, effectively creating another 200 feet of beach area at low water. The parking lot will be expanded and the shower, restrooms and other features will be rebuilt.
The project will expand recreational opportunities and parking. For example, the reservoir currently features about 1,400 surface acres of water when full. Once the project is done, that figure could grow to 2,000 acres.
In the meantime if you are headed for Chatfield State Park, I would check the website to make sure the area you want to access is available. Anglers might want to take advantage of marking GPS points and photographing areas that are scheduled to be flooded. This will aid you in finding some key spots after the lake is filled.