Flaming Gorge Reservoir
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| Flaming Gorge Reservoir | |
|---|---|
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| Name | Flaming Gorge Reservoir |
| Caption | Flaming Gorge Dam and Reservoir |
| Location | Daggett County, Utah, Sweetwater County, Wyoming |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Inflow | Green River |
| Outflow | Green River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Area | 42,000 acres |
| Max-depth | 502 ft |
| Volume | 3,788,900 acre·ft |
| Elevation | 6,040 ft |
Flaming Gorge Reservoir is a large impoundment on the Green River straddling Daggett County, Utah and Sweetwater County, Wyoming. Constructed in the mid-20th century as part of regional water projects and hydroelectric development, the reservoir is notable for its deep canyon setting, coldwater fisheries, and role in western water allocation. The impoundment and associated infrastructure influence recreation, river regulation, and multispecies conservation across the Colorado River Basin and nearby Intermountain West.
History
Construction of the dam and reservoir was authorized under mid-century federal water initiatives associated with Bureau of Reclamation projects and regional development programs. The impoundment was built following planning involving the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the National Park Service in environmental review phases that overlapped with broader debates during the era of Central Arizona Project planning and Colorado River Storage Project. Workers, contractors, and regional labor forces from Wyoming and Utah participated in the build, which altered preexisting land use by communities such as those in Manila, Utah and Green River, Wyoming. The reservoir’s creation affected indigenous landscapes associated with Shoshone and Ute homelands and intersected with water law developments like interstate compacts negotiated among Upper Colorado River Commission members.
Geography and Hydrology
The reservoir occupies a gorge cut by the Green River through the Uinta Mountains and Ashley National Forest foothills, producing steeply sided canyon scenery akin to features in Dinosaur National Monument and Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area. Hydrologically, inflows derive primarily from mountain snowmelt in the Green River Basin and tributaries within Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah. The impoundment influences downstream discharge regimes affecting users in the Colorado River Compact domain, and interacts with storage and flow operations coordinated by entities like the Western Area Power Administration and the Upper Colorado River Commission. Seasonal stratification, thermocline dynamics, and coldwater releases shape river temperature profiles similar to managed flows on reservoirs such as Lake Powell and Blue Mesa Reservoir.
Dam and Reservoir Characteristics
The concrete-arch dam and associated powerplant were engineered and constructed by teams linked to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and contractors experienced with large western dams exemplified by Grand Coulee Dam and Glen Canyon Dam works. The structure provides hydroelectric generation marketed through entities such as the Western Area Power Administration and contributes to regional power grids that include Rocky Mountain Power territories. Design parameters—maximum depth, storage capacity, spillway design—reflect standards established in postwar projects overseen by agencies including the Federal Power Commission and follow seismic and structural guidelines from agencies like the U.S. Geological Survey. Navigational and boating facilities at marinas support access similar to those on Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area holdings and adjacent federal lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management.
Ecology and Wildlife
Cold, oxygenated releases from the dam have fostered productive trout fisheries, with species such as brown trout, rainbow trout, and cutthroat trout supported by stocking programs coordinated by Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Wyoming Game and Fish Department. The reservoir and riparian zones provide habitat for mammals like mule deer and elk, and avian populations including bald eagle and peregrine falcon utilize cliff and shoreline environments. Aquatic ecology interacts with invasive species concerns familiar to western reservoirs, and biologists from institutions such as Utah State University and University of Wyoming have conducted research on trophic dynamics, macroinvertebrate communities, and fish population genetics.
Recreation and Tourism
The impoundment and surrounding recreation area attract anglers, boaters, hikers, and climbers drawn by canyon vistas comparable to those in Dinosaur National Monument and Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area. Facilities include marinas, campgrounds, and scenic overlooks managed by the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service, with visitor services provided by local businesses in Manila, Utah, Green River, Wyoming, and Dutch John, Utah. Events, guide services, and outfitters from Montpelier, Idaho to Salt Lake City market angling trips targeting trophy trout; tourism flows interact with regional transport corridors such as Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 191.
Water Management and Operations
Operational decisions for storage, release, and power generation are coordinated among the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado River Commission, and power marketing agencies, in the context of obligations under the Colorado River Compact and downstream delivery commitments to entities in Arizona, Nevada, and California. Adaptive management strategies respond to drought declarations coordinated with states' water agencies like the Utah Division of Water Resources and modeling by the Bureau of Reclamation informed by data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Geological Survey. Hydropower scheduling integrates with western transmission operators such as Western Electricity Coordinating Council frameworks.
Environmental Issues and Conservation
Environmental concerns include altered riverine habitats, sediment transport changes documented by U.S. Geological Survey scientists, competition from nonnative fishes studied by researchers at Utah State University, and water quality issues tracked by the Environmental Protection Agency and state agencies. Conservation initiatives engage federal agencies (e.g., Bureau of Land Management), state wildlife agencies, and NGOs like The Nature Conservancy in habitat restoration, native trout conservation, and invasive species control. Legal and policy disputes over reservoir operations have involved stakeholders represented in forums like the Upper Colorado River Commission and have been shaped by climate-driven reductions in basin-wide inflows documented in reports by Department of the Interior scientists.
Category:Reservoirs in Utah Category:Reservoirs in Wyoming