McPhee Dam, located on the Dolores River, is a rolled earth, sand, gravel, and rockfill structure with a volume of approximately 6,230,000 cubic yards. The crest of the dam is 270 feet high above streambed, 1,300 feet in length, and 30 feet wide. A gated spillway located in the right abutment includes a concrete chute leading to a stilling basin. The outlet works, located in the left abutment of the dam, has two separate intake structures, and a total capacity of 5,000 cubic feet per second.
Great Cut Dike is a rolled earthfill structure with a crest length of 1,900 feet, and crest width of 30 feet. It has a maximum height of 64 feet above original ground surface. The embankment has a volume of about 189,000 cubic yards.
McPhee Reservoir was created with the construction of McPhee Dam and the Great Cut Dike in a saddle on the Dolores-San Juan Divide. The reservoir has a total capacity of 381,195 acre-feet, including 229,200 acre-feet of active capacity, 151,900 acre-feet of inactive capacity, and 95 acre-feet of dead storage. The water surface area totals 4,470 acres at the top of the active capacity at an elevation of 6924.0 feet. The reservoir extends approximately 10 miles up the Dolores River, 4 miles up Beaver Creek, 1 mile up Dry Creek, 2 miles up House Creek, and 2 miles up the Great Cut saddle to the dike.
General
Project
Dolores
Longitude
-108.5723876953125
Watercourse
Dolores
Reservoir
McPhee
Original Construction
1983-1984
National ID Number
CO82915
Latitude
37.57651247047376
Dimensions
Structural Height
295.0 ft
Crest Length
1370.0 ft
Top of Active Conservation Pool (Elevation)
6924.0 ft
Top of Inactive Conservation Pool (Elevation)
6855.0 ft
Spillway Crest Elevation
6897.0 ft
Streambed at Dam Axis
6666.0 ft
Crest Elevation
6936.0 ft
Hydraulic Height (Normal Operating Depth at Dam)
262.0 ft
Top of Dead Storage Pool (Elevation)
6676.0 ft
Hydraulics & Hydrology
Spillway Capacity at Elevation
33300 cfs at 6928.0 ft
Outlet Works Capacity at Elevation
5275.0 cfs at 6928.0 ft
Drainage Area
809.0 sq mi
Normal Water Surface Elevation
6924.0 ft
Auxiliary Spillway
No
Net Generation
4,292,835 kWh
Contact
Owner
Title: Area Office Manager Organization: Western Colorado Area Office - Durango Address: 185 Suttle Street, Suite 2 City: Grand Junction, CO 81303 Phone: 970-385-6500
Operator
Organization: Dolores Water Conservancy District Address: 60 South Cactus Street, PO Box 1150 City: Cortez, CO 81321 Phone: 970-565-7562
More Information about the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation