Lake Nighthorse is a newly constructed reservoir built by the Bureau of Reclamation. It occupies Ridges Basin. Filling began in 2009 and was completed in the summer of 2011. Only 2 miles from downtown Durango and at an elevation of 6800 ft. above sea level, this 1500 acre lake was built as a part of the Animas-LaPlata Project to meet the water rights of the two Native American Indian tribes in Southwestern Colorado, The Southern Ute Indian Tribe, and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. The water diverted to this reservoir will also benifit five other entities in the Four Corners area, the Animas-La Plata Water Conservancy District, the State of Colorado, the Navajo Nation, the San Juan Water Commision, and the La Plata Conservation District.
A plan outlining recreation access is currently being drawn up.
Isn't it amazing how the lake looks (to me) as if it has been there for ever. Intersting name. Presumably it has links to the indigenous people? Beautiful scenery Zac.
ReplyDeleteAl beat me to it, looks part of the scenery. Our national news is story about droughts across big areas of souther England. They keep building houses, but no new reservoirs add less rainfall and now there is a drought, surprise!
ReplyDeleteThe lake is named after Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell. He was a U.S. Senator from Colorado from 1993 until 2005. During his tenure, he was the only Native American serving in the U.S. Congress
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