# Worthen Meadow Reservoir

Worthen Meadow Reservoir is a reservoir located in the Shoshone National Forest. The reservoir is fed by Roaring Fork Creek, and it holds around 1,500 acre feet of water with a surface elevation of 8,819 ft (2,688 m) (crest of the service spillway). The reservoir's two section earth-fill dam was constructed in 1958, and the reservoir acts as a supplemental supply of water for the City of Lander, Wyoming. The total length of the dam is 917 ft (280 m) with a maximum height of 43 ft (13 m) above the stream bed of Roaring Fork Creek.

## Recreation

Numerous trails and campsites are located near the reservoir including Worthen Meadow Campground and trail-heads leading into the Wind River Range.

## Wildlife

The reservoir contains different species of fish including rainbow trout, brook trout and arctic grayling.

## Safety Concerns

The reservoir's upstream location 17 mi (27 km) from Lander creates a significant hazard to the city in the event of dam failure. However, the dam has been reinforced and maintained to avoid failure.

## Climate

Townsend Creek is a SNOTEL weather station located roughly halfway between Worthen Meadow Reservoir and Frye Lake at an altitude of 8700 feet (2652 m). Townsend Creek has a subalpine climate (Köppen Dfc), with long, cold winters and short, mild summers.
Climate data for Townsend Creek, Wyoming, 1991–2020 normals, 2010-2020 snowfall: 8700ft (2652m) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 59 (15) | 57 (14) | 62 (17) | 70 (21) | 80 (27) | 84 (29) | 91 (33) | 88 (31) | 83 (28) | 72 (22) | 64 (18) | 53 (12) | 91 (33) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 49.9 (9.9) | 49.3 (9.6) | 55.8 (13.2) | 61.7 (16.5) | 69.6 (20.9) | 77.6 (25.3) | 82.8 (28.2) | 81.4 (27.4) | 76.1 (24.5) | 66.2 (19.0) | 54.6 (12.6) | 47.2 (8.4) | 83.5 (28.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 34.1 (1.2) | 34.7 (1.5) | 41.5 (5.3) | 46.1 (7.8) | 54.4 (12.4) | 65.0 (18.3) | 73.9 (23.3) | 72.1 (22.3) | 62.3 (16.8) | 49.5 (9.7) | 39.0 (3.9) | 32.0 (0.0) | 50.4 (10.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 20.2 (−6.6) | 20.2 (−6.6) | 27.2 (−2.7) | 32.9 (0.5) | 41.5 (5.3) | 50.1 (10.1) | 57.4 (14.1) | 56.0 (13.3) | 47.7 (8.7) | 36.7 (2.6) | 26.2 (−3.2) | 19.1 (−7.2) | 36.3 (2.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 6.3 (−14.3) | 5.6 (−14.7) | 12.7 (−10.7) | 19.5 (−6.9) | 28.4 (−2.0) | 35.1 (1.7) | 40.9 (4.9) | 39.9 (4.4) | 33.0 (0.6) | 23.8 (−4.6) | 13.4 (−10.3) | 6.2 (−14.3) | 22.1 (−5.5) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −17.0 (−27.2) | −18.2 (−27.9) | −11.2 (−24.0) | −0.6 (−18.1) | 12.6 (−10.8) | 25.9 (−3.4) | 32.2 (0.1) | 29.9 (−1.2) | 19.8 (−6.8) | 3.1 (−16.1) | −11.6 (−24.2) | −18.5 (−28.1) | −24.7 (−31.5) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −29 (−34) | −32 (−36) | −27 (−33) | −15 (−26) | −2 (−19) | 19 (−7) | 23 (−5) | 20 (−7) | 3 (−16) | −16 (−27) | −26 (−32) | −40 (−40) | −40 (−40) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.25 (32) | 1.60 (41) | 2.51 (64) | 3.67 (93) | 3.90 (99) | 1.86 (47) | 1.00 (25) | 1.11 (28) | 1.90 (48) | 2.37 (60) | 1.72 (44) | 1.40 (36) | 24.29 (617) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 11.1 (28) | 18.3 (46) | 17.4 (44) | 24.4 (62) | 12.9 (33) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 2.0 (5.1) | 7.3 (19) | 11.1 (28) | 14.0 (36) | 118.5 (301.1) |
| Source 1: XMACIS2 (records, monthly max/mins & Lander 5.7SW snowfall) ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: NOAA (Precipitation) ||||||||||||||