Ralston Dam facts for kids
Ralston Dam is an important dam located in Jefferson County, Colorado. It helps provide drinking water for the city of Denver.
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What is Ralston Dam?
Ralston Dam is a large structure that holds back water. It was built in 1937 by the Denver Board of Water Commissioners. This group is in charge of Denver's water supply. The dam is made of earth, meaning it's built from soil and rocks. It stands about 204 feet tall and stretches 1170 feet across.
How the Dam Works
The dam holds back the water from Ralston Creek. This creates a large lake called Ralston Reservoir. The water from this reservoir is then treated and sent to homes and businesses in Denver. The Denver Board of Water Commissioners still owns and operates the dam today.
Ralston Reservoir: A Water Source
The lake formed by the dam is called Ralston Reservoir. It covers about 160 acres when full. This reservoir can hold a lot of water. Its normal capacity is about 13,200 acre-feet. An acre-foot is the amount of water needed to cover one acre of land with water one foot deep.
Keeping Our Water Safe
In 2010, something important was discovered near the reservoir. Officials found that an old uranium mine, called Schwartzwalder, was affecting the groundwater. This meant there was a risk of uranium getting into the water supply. Uranium is a natural element, but too much of it can be harmful.
To protect Denver's drinking water, the mine owners, Cotter Corp., took action. They changed the path of Ralston Creek. This moved the creek away from the mine area. This was done because the water in the creek had higher levels of uranium than allowed for drinking water.
The company hopes this new path for the creek is only for a short time. They are working to clean up the mine site. They are using a method called bioremediation. This is a way to clean up pollution using tiny living things, like bacteria. Their goal is to make sure the water stays clean and safe for everyone.
