Blue Mesa Dam, Embankment dam and power station in Gunnison County, United States
Blue Mesa Dam is an earthen embankment structure that spans 239 meters across the Gunnison River, creating Colorado's largest water storage area. The facility combines water impoundment with a power generation plant that operates from the base of the structure.
The Bureau of Reclamation completed this dam in 1966 as part of the larger Colorado River Storage Project. Its construction marked a major engineering effort to manage water resources across the western United States.
The reservoir plays a central role in regional water management and supports communities that depend on its supply for drinking water and irrigation. The facility has become a defining feature of the local landscape.
The dam is accessed via State Highway 92, which crosses its top and connects to recreational areas around the reservoir. Weather can change quickly in this mountain location, so visitors should prepare for variable conditions.
The power plant turbines were upgraded in 1988 to increase output from 60 to about 86 megawatts, making the facility much more efficient. This improvement demonstrates how aging infrastructure can be modernized to meet growing demand.
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