Bonny Dam facts for kids

Bonny Reservoir in Spring 2014, before it was drained.

Bonny Dam is a large structure in Yuma County, Colorado. It was built to help control floods and store water for farms. The dam is known for the big lake it used to create, called Bonny Reservoir.

What is Bonny Dam?

Bonny Dam is an "earthen dam," which means it's made mostly of packed dirt and rock. It was built between 1948 and 1951 by the United States Bureau of Reclamation. This government group builds and manages water projects.

The dam is 158 feet tall and stretches 9,200 feet across at its top. It was designed to hold back the South Fork of the Republican River. This helped control floods and store water for irrigation, which means watering crops. It was also a popular spot for recreation, like fishing and boating.

Building the Dam

The construction of Bonny Dam was part of a much larger plan called the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program. This big program aimed to manage water resources across many states in the Missouri River basin. The dam is still owned and operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

What Was Bonny Reservoir?

The lake created by Bonny Dam was called Bonny Reservoir. Before it was drained, this lake covered more than 2,000 acres of land. It could hold a huge amount of water, about 170,160 acre-feet. An acre-foot is the amount of water needed to cover one acre of land with water one foot deep. The reservoir also had about 15 miles of shoreline, making it a great place for outdoor activities.

Why Was the Reservoir Drained?

In 2011, Bonny Reservoir was completely drained. All the water was released downstream. This happened because of a decision made by the Supreme Court of the United States in 2003. The court case was about a water sharing agreement called the Republican River Compact. This agreement decides how much water each state along the Republican River can use. Colorado had to send water downstream to Kansas to meet the court's ruling.

Bonny Lake State Park Now

After the reservoir was drained in September and October 2011, many services at the former Bonny Lake State Park were closed. This included the popular fishing areas and the visitors' center. The dam structure itself is still there. Today, the area is managed as part of the South Republican River State Wildlife Area. It is now focused more on wildlife and conservation rather than water recreation.