Fontenelle Reservoir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fontenelle Reservoir |
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Fontenelle Reservoir in 1972
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 Fontenelle Reservoir
Location in Wyoming
Fontenelle Reservoir
Location in the United States
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| Location | Lincoln / Sweetwater counties, Wyoming, USA |
| Coordinates | 42°02′00″N 110°04′00″W / 42.03333°N 110.06667°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Green River |
| Primary outflows | Green River |
| Catchment area | 4,156 sq mi (10,760 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 20 miles (32 km) |
| Surface area | 8,000 acres (3,200 ha) |
| Water volume | 345,360 acre-feet (0.42600 km3) |
Fontenelle Reservoir is a large, man-made lake in southwest Wyoming. It's mostly in Lincoln County, but a small part of the dam and reservoir reaches into Sweetwater County. This reservoir was created by building the Fontenelle Dam across the Green River.
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Why Was Fontenelle Reservoir Built?
The main reason Fontenelle Reservoir was built was to store water. It's a key part of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's Colorado River Storage Project. This project helps Wyoming keep its share of water from the Colorado River system. The reservoir also helps make electricity. Water from the reservoir is used by local businesses, like those involved in mining and power production. Even though it was first planned to help farmers water their crops, that idea changed. It became clear that watering farms in Wyoming's dry, high desert areas was very difficult.
Keeping the Dam Safe
Over the years, the Fontenelle Dam had some problems with water leaking. Because of these leaks, the reservoir had to be quickly emptied two times, in 1965 and 1986. This was done to make sure the dam was safe and to prevent any bigger issues. Engineers worked to fix these problems to keep the dam strong and the area safe.
Fun Activities at the Reservoir
Fontenelle Reservoir is a great place for outdoor fun! You can find places to launch boats and areas for camping. If you enjoy fishing, the reservoir is home to different kinds of trout. You might catch brown, cutthroat, or rainbow trout here.
The Land Before the Reservoir
Before the Fontenelle Reservoir and dam were built, this land was known as the Stepp Ranch. This ranch was owned by the Stepp family, who were one of the few Black ranching families in Wyoming during the 1960s. The Stepp family had owned this land since the early 1900s. The land was eventually acquired for the reservoir project.
