The state herald., 1907-06-28
POW OWER PROJECT
RESERVOIR TO HOLD 25o,ooo,ooo
CUBIC FEET OF WATER.
GREAT DAM NEAR BOULDER
Three Hundred Men Are Now Working
On Dam to Be 14o Feet
hiqh.


now working in Boulder canon on tho
great reservoir projects of the Central
Colorado Power Company or the elec-
tric and hydraulic, as It Is better
known. Tho plan of the company is
stupendous, and when completed Boul.
der county will have one Of the great,
est power plants in the world
The greatest interest centers in the
work OF the new company. as 1t is he
Ing backed by the General Electric
Company, which hopes to supply tho
entire northern section of the state
with cheap power, produced by tur-
bire-driven engines. On the o,her hanl
the plant of the Northern Colorado
Power Company subsidiary cor.
poratton Of the Westenghouse
Electric Company, located at La
fayette. will be in operation by the
emu OF this month and will get a big
start over the hydraulic company,
which viii not be in operation before
the LIST of June, 1908, and maybe later.
Reservoir at Nederiand.
The plan of the hydraulic and Elec.
trio company includes the erection OF
gigantic reservoir at Nederland. the
piping of the water f.om this dam to a
second reservoir at Magnolia, and then
the water will be conducted over tho
mountain and drop 1900 feet to tho
power plant below, which is located cn
Boulder creek, about mile above Four
Mile creek
Sulphide fats, where the Nederland
dam will be built. is located on Bout
der creek. about mile above the tung.
sten camp. The valley at this point
widens out. forming natural basin
about three'quarters of mile across
the old road to Eldora formerly ran
through the gulch along the creek. but
has now been moved back on the hill
side. ten feet above the level Of the
water In the reservoir. AZ the east
enu Of the site the valley narrows an.
t:s the water rushes through n pas-
sage in the hills that is less than 100
feet across.
Al this spot the dam will be erected.
II will be built of concrete. with n
rock and dirt core. and will he 100
feet thick at the bottom. Trestles ara
nearly completed on both sides Of the
hillls bh WHICH thlh VIII n' lhH ~
dump the materials. The hills curve
GRADUALLY In front Of the dam. but are
not high enough to hold back the wateT
that will be impounded. so that II will
b., necessary to raise the wall about
twenty-five feet above them. The hill
oL the south forms almost a natural
spillway. In which about forty men arc
now at work digging out n trench
which will be sixty.thrce feet wide ut
the bottom and eight feet deep. lt1
lcngth Is 1850 feet. and large glicJ
at tho upper end will be operated by
electricity. only being opened In lool
time or when the dam Is threaten
The sides and bottom will be rip
raped ad then covered with cement
viii Be 40 Fee, High.
The dam itself will be li0 feet high,
and 100 feet long, Il Will back tho
water for about two miles. and win
inbound 520,OOO.OOO cubic feet of Wa.
ter, About $50 men are now working
on the main dam, and more are boins
pui TO work MS fast Ms they can 30
taken. Spring water is carried To tho
camp In pipes, and an electric lieht
plant is being Installed. 80 that both
night and day shifts can be run. \
ilumc at the bottom OF the dam Will
carry away the regular flow Of tho
creek. the company intending TO opor-
ate solely with the food waters.
enough coming down the canon In tho
spring to till the reservoir IN a short
time.
A steel and cement Pipe viii convey
the water from this reservoir To see.
la.. .gsl 4 Is. d Ff
OF Magnolia This will be a storage
reservoir. and little water will be takeh
In from the surrounding hills. the man
supply coming In the pipe line. Two
miles OF steel pipe, Weighing 100000
pounds, and strong enough To support
a pressure ~ 500 pounds 10 tho square
inch. will carry the water from here 10
the power plant, 1900 feet below IN
the canon.
A trnmwny alongside ot the pipe limo
viii transport a load of cight tons. aud
will be- operated by three plants of ma.
chlnnery. This uamwny IN early com
plctcd, aud large force h engaged In
laying the pipe. which will be- sixty
Inches In diameter nj the top. and ma.
row 10 forty.four inches NJ the bottom,
waorc II win be turned into Immense
pclion typo water wheels, which VIII
generate 10000 horse power A largo
space has been cleared here for tho
power plant. which II lo be- built IN the
hillside along tho Boulder creek
The magnitude of the work can ha
noon by the material that Will be- om'
ployod In the construction Over f5o,'
600 worth Of machinery will be- used.
lrclnding> three acyoniy'ton Hlonin
hhoyels, niS locomotives, l60 ears. steel
concrete mixers and rock cfuHhrfh cap.
able of daily output of 500 yards NJ
concrete. and several dofrickH.
Railroad Builds Spur.
The Colorado a Northwestern rail
road has found II neoeusary to build -
spur into the reservoir. the track be.
inr about two milca long. When thlh
Ia finlahod the company will be able 10
receive ita supplies several days ear.
lior than at present, aud tho work VIII
be- vastly facilitated,
when the work In completed loul
der county will begin new ora ~