Vallecito Dam

Vallecito Dam (National ID # CO01695) is a dam in La Plata County, Colorado^[2] about 18 miles (29 km) northeast of Durango.^[3]

Vallecito Dam
Country	United States
Location	La Plata County, Colorado
Status	Operational
Opening date	1940
Built by	United States Bureau of Reclamation
Designed by	Civilian Conservation Corps
Operator(s)	Civilian Conservation Corps
Dam and spillways
Height	162 ft (49 m)
Length	4,010 ft (1,220 m)
Reservoir
Total capacity	125,400 acre⋅ft (154,700,000 m3)
Surface area	4.3 sq mi (11 km2)
Normal elevation	2,338 m (7,671 ft)[1]

Trees were cleared for the reservoir by the Civilian Conservation Corps.^[4] The earthen dam was constructed in 1940 by the United States Bureau of Reclamation, with a height of 162 feet (49 m), and a length at its crest of 4,010 feet (1,220 m).^[3] It impounds the Los Pinos River for irrigation water storage. The dam is owned by the Bureau and is operated by the local Pine River Irrigation District.

The reservoir it creates, Vallecito Reservoir, has a water surface of 4.3 square miles (11 km²) and a maximum capacity of 125,400 acre-feet (154,700,000 m³).^[2][3] Recreational opportunities include fishing, hunting, boating, camping and hiking.^[5]

Climate

Climate data for Vallecito Dam, Colorado, 1991–2020 normals, 1917-2020 records: 7644ft (2330m)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	62 (17)	63 (17)	71 (22)	79 (26)	87 (31)	92 (33)	93 (34)	91 (33)	90 (32)	82 (28)	70 (21)	62 (17)	93 (34)
Mean maximum °F (°C)	49.5 (9.7)	51.3 (10.7)	61.7 (16.5)	69.3 (20.7)	77.2 (25.1)	85.4 (29.7)	88.1 (31.2)	85.0 (29.4)	81.2 (27.3)	72.9 (22.7)	60.5 (15.8)	50.8 (10.4)	88.4 (31.3)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	38.0 (3.3)	40.8 (4.9)	49.1 (9.5)	56.8 (13.8)	65.7 (18.7)	76.8 (24.9)	81.1 (27.3)	78.7 (25.9)	72.5 (22.5)	60.9 (16.1)	48.3 (9.1)	38.5 (3.6)	58.9 (15.0)
Daily mean °F (°C)	22.6 (−5.2)	26.0 (−3.3)	34.8 (1.6)	42.0 (5.6)	50.2 (10.1)	59.4 (15.2)	65.0 (18.3)	63.2 (17.3)	56.4 (13.6)	45.6 (7.6)	34.4 (1.3)	25.3 (−3.7)	43.7 (6.5)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	7.2 (−13.8)	11.1 (−11.6)	20.4 (−6.4)	27.2 (−2.7)	34.6 (1.4)	42.1 (5.6)	48.8 (9.3)	47.8 (8.8)	40.3 (4.6)	30.3 (−0.9)	20.5 (−6.4)	12.1 (−11.1)	28.5 (−1.9)
Mean minimum °F (°C)	−9.0 (−22.8)	−6.7 (−21.5)	3.5 (−15.8)	15.4 (−9.2)	24.4 (−4.2)	32.3 (0.2)	41.3 (5.2)	40.9 (4.9)	29.6 (−1.3)	18.3 (−7.6)	4.6 (−15.2)	−5.6 (−20.9)	−12.0 (−24.4)
Record low °F (°C)	−35 (−37)	−31 (−35)	−21 (−29)	−6 (−21)	15 (−9)	20 (−7)	32 (0)	28 (−2)	22 (−6)	2 (−17)	−10 (−23)	−22 (−30)	−35 (−37)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	2.52 (64)	2.14 (54)	1.69 (43)	1.36 (35)	1.66 (42)	0.88 (22)	2.57 (65)	3.24 (82)	3.36 (85)	2.34 (59)	1.93 (49)	2.07 (53)	25.76 (653)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	19.60 (49.8)	21.20 (53.8)	10.40 (26.4)	3.60 (9.1)	0.60 (1.5)	0.00 (0.00)	0.00 (0.00)	0.00 (0.00)	0.00 (0.00)	0.70 (1.8)	7.40 (18.8)	21.40 (54.4)	84.9 (215.6)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	6.1	7.3	6.3	5.8	7.7	4.6	12.8	14.9	10.7	7.3	5.3	7.7	96.5
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	5.5	6.5	4.7	2.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.6	3.7	7.2	30.5
Source 1: NOAA[6]
Source 2: XMACIS2 (records & monthly max/mins)[7]