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Cherry Creek DSMS News

High flows scheduled during annual maintenance at Cherry Creek Dam May 22: USACE urges public safety
5/2/2024
Higher than normal flows of water through Cherry Creek Dam will begin this Wednesday, May 22, as part of annual sediment flushing by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District to help ensure...
Cherry Creek Dam and flood safety event to boost community awareness
4/22/2024 UPDATED
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, in collaboration with Denver-area flood risk management partners, will host a community event with displays, gadgets, gear, scientists, engineers and...
Annual sediment flushing exercise scheduled at Cherry Creek Reservoir
5/20/2020
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, will conduct its annual sediment flushing exercise at Cherry Creek Reservoir, Colorado, May 27...
Annual sediment flushing exercise scheduled at Cherry Creek Reservoir
5/16/2018
The annual sediment flushing exercise will be completed at Cherry Creek Reservoir on Wednesday, May 23...
Public comment period extended for Cherry Creek Dam Water Control Plan changes
11/14/2016
Water managers for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District have extended the public comment period to December 16 for a Draft Report outlining proposed modifications to the Water Control Plan...
Proposed changes to Water Control Plan for Cherry Creek Dam near Denver, CO available for public comment
10/19/2016
Water managers for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District have released a Draft Report outlining proposed modifications to the Water Control Plan for Cherry Creek Dam during extreme flood...
Public meetings scheduled to discuss Cherry Creek Dam studies
9/8/2016
Three public meetings to provide an update on the status of two studies taking place at Cherry Creek Dam are scheduled for the week of September 20. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will host meetings...
Cherry Creek Dam water control plan modification study public meeting scheduled
1/8/2016
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District will hold a public meeting on Tuesday, January 26, from 6-8 p.m. to gather input on modifying the Cherry Creek Dam Water Control Plan to release more...
Cherry Creek Dam Crest Road to close for dam safety instrumentation and maintenance project
6/3/2015
The Crest Road at Cherry Creek Dam will be closed from June 22 through July 12 to accommodate work that will be taking place adjacent to the crest road. The bike path at the downstream toe of the dam...
Safety Modification Study for Cherry Creek Dam: Public Meetings scheduled for January
1/7/2015
Cherry Creek Dam in Aurora, Colorado, is undergoing a Dam Safety Modification Study and an incorporated Environmental Impact Statement being conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha...
Maintenance project to begin at Cherry Creek Dam near Denver
12/8/2014
Work will begin in late December to install a 2,200-foot-long underground outfall pipe system for 14 relief wells that were installed along the downstream toe of the dam in 2012. The new relief well...
Draft Environmental Impact Statement to be prepared for Cherry Creek Dam, Aurora, Colo.
12/19/2013
A draft Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District to address environmental issues related to remediation alternatives that will be proposed at...
New relief wells to be installed at Cherry Creek
8/30/2012
The Drill Crew Unit of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, will be performing drilling work at Cherry Creek Dam in Arapahoe County, Colorado over the next four to five weeks. The Corps...
Cherry Creek Dam to get 12 new groundwater observation wells
4/12/2011
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, awarded a $370,700 contract to Shannon and Wilson, Inc., Geotechnical and Environmental Consultants, of St. Louis, Mo., to install new dam safety...
Corps awards contract for dam safety maintenance work at Cherry Creek Dam
11/22/2010
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, awarded a construction contract Sept. 30, 2010 to American West Construction LLC of Denver, Colo., to perform dam safety maintenance work at Cherry...
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Cherry Creek Documents

Fact Sheets

Cherry Creek Dam Safety Modification Study

Cherry Creek Dam
Cherry Creek Dam was the first of the three dams to be built to lower the risks to the Denver region from catastrophic South Platte River floodwaters that plagued the area for more than 100 years. Located at the southeast edge of Denver in Aurora, Colo., construction of the dam began in 1948 and completed in 1950.
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Cherry Creek Reservoir
Cherry Creek Reservoir lies on Cherry Creek at its confluence with Cottonwood Creek, at the southeast edge of the Denver metropolitan area in Arapahoe County. Under normal conditions, the reservoir is 1.3 miles long, with an average depth of almost 15 feet, a surface area of 875 acres, and a storage capacity of 12,885 acre-feet of water. Approximately 390 square miles drains into Cherry Creek Reservoir.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed the Cherry Creek Dam Safety Modification Study in 2020 to evaluate various alternatives to address the risk associated with a potential dam failure in the study area. Based on reports, reviews by other federal, state and local agencies, Tribes, and public input related to the alternatives, the No Action Alternative was recommended. The Record of Decision states that the benefits of this recommendation outweigh the costs and any adverse effects.  

Visit https://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/Missions/Dam-and-Lake-Projects/Tri-Lakes-Projects/Cherry-Creek-Dam/ to learn more about the operation of the dam and reservoir to reduce flood risk.

Visit the National Inventory of Dams to view areas downstream of Cherry Creek that could flood under different scenarios or to learn more about our nation's dams.

Water Control Plan Modification Study

An additional Water Control Plan Modification Study is being conducted to identify the beginning of extreme flooding conditions, determine when to begin making releases, and evaluate appropriate release rates under those conditions.