Crystal Reservoir reservoir
Crystal Reservoir
Crystal Reservoir is a man-made lake located in Pitkin County, Colorado. The reservoir was constructed in 1961 on the Crystal River for the purpose of providing water storage for municipal, industrial, and agricultural uses. The reservoir has a capacity of 22,000 acre-feet and is fed by snowpack and surface flows from the surrounding mountains. The water is primarily used for irrigation of farmlands in the Crystal Valley and for the city of Aspen's municipal water supply. Recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and camping are also popular at the reservoir. The Crystal River is a vital source of water for the surrounding communities and is closely monitored to ensure sustainable use.
Daily levels at Crystal Reservoir
Storage volume, pool elevation, and total release plotted from the operating agency's daily observations.
Storage
acre-ft · code 17
Inflow
cfs · code 29
Pool Elevation
ft · code 49
Total Release
cfs · code 42
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Crystal Reservoir -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Gunnison River Below Gunnison Tunnel | 488 cfs | → |
| Cimarron River Bl Squaw Creek | 10 cfs | → |
| Smith Fork Near Lazear | · | → |
| Uncompahgre River At Colona | 95 cfs | → |
| Cimarron River Near Cimarron | 96 cfs | → |
| N.F. Gunnison R Blw Leroux Cr | 47 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Crystal Reservoir.
Boat launches
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Campgrounds
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Fishing spots
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River runs
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About Crystal Reservoir
Where does the data for Crystal Reservoir come from?
Daily storage, pool elevation, and release rates are sourced from USGS, USBR, and USACE monitoring stations. Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
Storage observations are updated daily by the operating agency. The 15-day weather forecast refreshes throughout the day. Snoflo caches and renders the most recent observation -- check the "as of" timestamp on the storage card.
What does the Hazard hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card below for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this reservoir, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.