Lake Pueblo State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Pueblo State Park |
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Lake Pueblo and the dam.
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 Lake Pueblo State Park
Location in Colorado
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| Location | Pueblo County, Colorado, USA |
| Nearest city | Pueblo, CO |
| Area | 10,279 acres (41.60 km2) |
| Established | 1975 |
| Governing body | Colorado Parks and Wildlife |
Lake Pueblo State Park is a super cool place in Pueblo County, Colorado. It's a big park with a huge lake, perfect for outdoor adventures. You can find over 60 miles (about 97 km) of shoreline here. The park also has about 10,000 acres (40 km2) of land. It's a great spot for fishing, hiking, and camping. You can even go swimming at a special beach! The park has two places to dock boats, too.
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Discover Lake Pueblo: Fun on the Water
Lake Pueblo is also known as Pueblo Reservoir. It's a very deep lake, about 135 feet (41 meters) at its deepest point. The Pueblo Dam holds back the water to create this lake.
This lake is a fantastic place for many water activities. You can go sailing, motor-boating, or waterskiing. People also enjoy wakeboarding, wakesurfing, and river tubing here. It's also a top spot for fishing!
History of Pueblo Dam and Lake Pueblo
The Pueblo Dam was built between 1970 and 1975. It was constructed across the Arkansas River in Pueblo County. This dam was part of a bigger plan called the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project.
The main reason for building the reservoir was to provide extra water. This water helps farms, cities, and industries. But the lake also helps with fun activities like boating and fishing. It also protects fish and wildlife.
Flood Control and Water Storage
Unlike many other reservoirs, Pueblo Dam also helps control floods. The Arkansas River used to flood often, about every ten years. A very big flood happened in 1921. So, the dam helps keep people safe from floods.
Besides the lake, the park also has the Lake Pueblo Fish Hatchery. This is where young fish are raised. There's also the Rock Canyon Swim Beach. It's located just below the Pueblo Dam, along the Arkansas River. Today, Lake Pueblo is the main place to store water for the lower Arkansas Valley. The lake can hold a lot of water, about 357,678 acre-feet, when it's completely full.
Wildlife at Lake Pueblo State Park
The land around Lake Pueblo is home to many different animals. You might see mammals like mule deer and coyotes. There are also cottontail rabbits, red foxes, and gray foxes. Other animals include beavers, raccoons, skunks, prairie dogs, and badgers.
The park is also home to many types of reptiles. You might spot bull snakes or rattlesnakes. There are also sagebrush lizards, coach whips, and box turtles. A special and rare snake, the blackneck garter snake, also lives here.
