Cherry Creek Dam facts for kids
The Cherry Creek Dam is a large dam located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, near the city of Denver. It was built to help control floods and create a big lake called Cherry Creek Reservoir. This reservoir is a popular spot for outdoor activities and fun!
Contents
About Cherry Creek Dam
The Cherry Creek Dam was built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. This group is part of the U.S. Army and helps manage water projects. Construction of the dam took place between 1948 and 1950.
How Big Is It?
The dam is made of earth, which means it's built from soil, sand, and rock. It stands about 141 feet (43 m) tall. That's like a 14-story building! The dam is also very long, stretching about 14,300 feet (4,400 m) across.
What the Dam Does
The main job of the Cherry Creek Dam is to control floods. It holds back the water from Cherry Creek, which is a small river that flows into the South Platte River. When there's a lot of rain or melting snow, the dam stops the water from flooding nearby areas. The Corps of Engineers owns and operates the dam and the reservoir.
Cherry Creek Reservoir
The dam creates a large lake called Cherry Creek Reservoir. This reservoir covers about 880 acres (360 ha) of water. It can hold a huge amount of water, up to 134,470 acre-feet (170 million cubic meters).
Fun at the Reservoir
The Cherry Creek Reservoir is a great place for outdoor fun! It's part of the Cherry Creek State Park, which offers many activities for families and friends. You can enjoy:
- Camping under the stars
- Flying radio-controlled airplanes
- Having picnics with beautiful views
- Watching different kinds of birds
- Cross-country skiing in the winter
- Fishing for various types of fish
- Horseback riding on scenic trails
- Using an outdoor shooting range
