# List of dam removals in Colorado

This is a list of dams in Colorado that have been removed as physical impediments to free-flowing rivers or streams.

## Completed removals

| Dam | Height | Year removed | Location | Watercourse | Watershed | Notes |
| Mt Shavano Dam (Salida Lowhead Dam) | 15 ft (4.6 m) | 2023 | Chaffee County 38°33′06″N 106°01′48″W﻿ / ﻿38.5518°N 106.0301°W﻿ / 38.5518; -106.0301﻿ (Mt Shavano Dam (Salida Lowhead Dam)) | Arkansas River | Arkansas River | Water diversion for fish hatchery. Owned by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife. |
| Riss East | 56 ft (17 m) | 2016 | Teller County 38°46′59″N 105°13′34″W﻿ / ﻿38.783°N 105.226°W﻿ / 38.783; -105.226﻿ (Riss East) | Tributary to Barnard Creek | Arkansas River | Recreation and fishing dams. |
| Riss North | 38 ft (12 m) | 2016 | Teller County 38°47′31″N 105°13′59″W﻿ / ﻿38.792°N 105.233°W﻿ / 38.792; -105.233﻿ (Riss North) | Tributary to Barnard Creek | Arkansas River | Recreation and fishing dams. |
| Riss South | 50 ft (15 m) | 2016 | Teller County 38°47′06″N 105°14′20″W﻿ / ﻿38.785°N 105.239°W﻿ / 38.785; -105.239﻿ (Riss South) | Tributary to Barnard Creek | Arkansas River | Recreation and fishing dams. |
| Dotson and Enlargement Dam | 24 ft (7.3 m) | 2015 | Pueblo County 38°07′41″N 104°11′49″W﻿ / ﻿38.128°N 104.197°W﻿ / 38.128; -104.197﻿ (Dotson and Enlargement Dam) | Huerfano River | Arkansas River | Irrigation dam. |
| Cucharas #5 Dam | 135 ft (41 m) | 2019 | Huerfano County 37°45′N 104°36′W﻿ / ﻿37.75°N 104.6°W﻿ / 37.75; -104.6﻿ (Cucharas #5 Dam) | Cucharas River | Arkansas River | This 1910 irrigation dam experienced structural problems throughout its life, including a partial failure in 1987 which resulted in the emergency dynamiting of a spillway. Reconstruction of the dam was proposed in the 2010s but was deemed economically infeasible. Following years of litigation, the State Engineer took emergency control of the dam in 2017 for safety reasons. The state removed it in 2019, recovering the cost in court from the dam's owners. At the time, it was the third-largest dam ever to be removed in the United States. |
| Idylwilde Dam | 57 ft (17 m) | 2013 | Larimer County 40°25′44″N 105°18′43″W﻿ / ﻿40.4288°N 105.312°W﻿ / 40.4288; -105.312﻿ (Idylwilde Dam) | Big Thompson River | Big Thompson River | Hydropower dam owned by the City of Loveland. |
| Carriage Hills #2 Dam | 10 ft (3.0 m) | 2017 | Estes Park 40°21′N 105°30′W﻿ / ﻿40.35°N 105.5°W﻿ / 40.35; -105.5﻿ (Carriage Hills #2 Dam) | Fish Creek | Big Thompson River | Recreation dam owned by the Town of Estes Park. |
| Glacier #1 Dam | 11 ft (3.4 m) | 1985 | Rocky Mountain National Park 40°30′18″N 105°35′49″W﻿ / ﻿40.505°N 105.597°W﻿ / 40.505; -105.597﻿ (Glacier #1 Dam) | North Fork Big Thompson River | Big Thompson River | |
| Chipeta Dam | 5 ft (1.5 m) | 2006 | Hotchkiss 38°47′04″N 107°44′38″W﻿ / ﻿38.7845°N 107.7439°W﻿ / 38.7845; -107.7439﻿ (Chipeta Dam) | North Fork Gunnison River | Gunnison River | Roller dam owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. |
| Hidden Treasure Dam | | 2019 | Lake City 38°01′16″N 107°22′44″W﻿ / ﻿38.021°N 107.3788°W﻿ / 38.021; -107.3788﻿ (Hidden Treasure Dam) | Henson Creek | Gunnison River | Mining hydropower dam. |
| Lake George Diversion Dam (Lower Eleven Mile Dam) | 25 ft (7.6 m) | 2023 | Park County 38°58′05″N 105°22′01″W﻿ / ﻿38.9681°N 105.367°W﻿ / 38.9681; -105.367﻿ (Lake George Diversion Dam (Lower Eleven Mile Dam)) | South Platte River | South Platte River | Water supply dam owned by the U.S. Forest Service. Previously owned by Colorado Springs Utilities. |
| Pear Lake Dam | 28 ft (8.5 m) | 1988 | Allenspark 40°10′37″N 105°37′24″W﻿ / ﻿40.177°N 105.6233°W﻿ / 40.177; -105.6233﻿ (Pear Lake Dam) | Cony Creek | South Platte River | |
| Dewey No. 1 | 15 ft (4.6 m) | 2014 | Denver 39°48′01″N 104°59′17″W﻿ / ﻿39.8004°N 104.988°W﻿ / 39.8004; -104.988﻿ (Dewey No. 1) | | South Platte River | Municipal water storage dam. |
| Lower Church Lake Dam | 4 ft (1.2 m) | 2015 | Fort Lupton 39°53′20″N 105°10′44″W﻿ / ﻿39.889°N 105.179°W﻿ / 39.889; -105.179﻿ (Lower Church Lake Dam) | Big Dry Creek | South Platte River | Irrigation and water supply dam. |
| Stanley Canyon Dam | 30 ft (9.1 m) | 2018 | El Paso County 38°59′N 104°56′W﻿ / ﻿38.99°N 104.93°W﻿ / 38.99; -104.93﻿ (Stanley Canyon Dam) | Stanley Canyon Creek | South Platte River | Owned by Colorado Springs Utilities. |
| Unnamed Dam #1 (Lamborn #1) | 20 ft (6.1 m) | 2002 | Fort Morgan 40°22′00″N 103°56′06″W﻿ / ﻿40.3668°N 103.935°W﻿ / 40.3668; -103.935﻿ (Unnamed Dam #1 (Lamborn #1)) | Tributary to South Platte River | South Platte River | |
| Unnamed Dam #2 | | 2002 | | Tributary to South Platte River | South Platte River | |
| Josh Ames Diversion Dam | 6 ft (1.8 m) | 2013 | Fort Collins 40°36′18″N 105°06′00″W﻿ / ﻿40.6051°N 105.1°W﻿ / 40.6051; -105.1﻿ (Josh Ames Diversion Dam) | Cache la Poudre River | South Platte River | |
| Bluebird Dam | 56 ft (17 m) | 1990 | Rocky Mountain National Park 40°11′33″N 105°39′09″W﻿ / ﻿40.1926°N 105.6526°W﻿ / 40.1926; -105.6526﻿ (Bluebird Dam) | Ouzel Creek | South Platte River | Water storage dam. |
| Sand Beach Dam | 25 ft (7.6 m) | 1988 | Allenspark 40°13′02″N 105°36′07″W﻿ / ﻿40.2171°N 105.602°W﻿ / 40.2171; -105.602﻿ (Sand Beach Dam) | Sand Beach Creek | South Platte River | |
| Hall Dam | 40 ft (12 m) | 2017 | Jefferson County 39°46′N 105°14′W﻿ / ﻿39.76°N 105.24°W﻿ / 39.76; -105.24﻿ (Hall Dam) | Clear Creek | South Platte River | Irrigation and recreation dam owned by Jefferson County Open Space. |
| Polaris Dam | 22 ft (6.7 m) | 2018 | Glenwood Springs 39°29′N 107°04′W﻿ / ﻿39.49°N 107.06°W﻿ / 39.49; -107.06﻿ (Polaris Dam) | Tributary to Cattle Creek | South Platte River | |
| No Name #15 Dam | 15 ft (4.6 m) | | | | | |
| No Name #17 Dam | 15 ft (4.6 m) | | | | | |
| No Name #22 Dam | 15 ft (4.6 m) | | | | | |
| Toby Wells Pond Dam | 16 ft (4.9 m) | 1989 | | | | |
| No Name #21 Dam | | 1990 | | | | |
| No Name #8 Dam | 12 ft (3.7 m) | 1990 | | | | |
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