Craving some trout?
The Town of Dillon wants you to bring fishing tackle to Old Dillon Reservoir.
A recent engineering study found that the bark pine beetle infestation above the reservoir could lead to trees toppling onto the two dams holding the water.
Deterioration of the dams, which were built in the 1930s, also poses a threat. So the town is draining the reservoir and rebuilding the dams.
“There will be fish in there that we need help getting out, so we are asking people to fish,” said Dillon spokeswoman Susan Fairweather.
The reservoir has been used primarily as a recreation resource since it was replaced by the Dillon Reservoir in 1963.
The earth-filled Dillon Dam built to hold the newer reservoir has become the focus of controversy since Denver Water closed the road that crosses over it recently.
The drainage plan has nothing to do with the road closure, said Fairweather.
In fact, the town has planned to expand the 46 acre-foot reservoir to as much as 255 acre feet. One acre foot is about 326,000 gallons of water.
Draining the reservoir would could give the town a chance to expand water storage while addressing dam safety, Fairweather said.
Area residents need the increased water storage for a more reliable water supply since much of the water in Summit County belongs to senior water rights holders like Denver Water.
The National Forest Service and Summit County will have to grant permits for the expansion. “We hope to to start the work in 2009 and have the whole thing completed by the end of 2010,” Fairweather said.
Water flow to the old reservoir has been shut off and later this week the town will begin a process of siphoning and then pumping water out.
“That will take one or two months,” Fairweather said, “and we are encouraging folks to come out and fish.”
Tom McGhee: (303)954-1671 or tmcghee@denverpost.com
