Lemon Dam is an earthen dam, and is a project of the United States Bureau of Reclamation. It was completed in 1963, at 284 feet (87 m) high and 1,360 feet (410 m) long at its crest.[2] The dam impounds the Florida River for flood control and irrigation water storage, operated by the local Florida Water Conservancy District. 120 kW of hydroelectric power is generated here.

Lemon Dam
CountryUnited States
LocationLa Plata County, Colorado
PurposeIrrigation, flood control, hydroelectric generation
StatusOperational
Opening date1963
Designed byUnited States Bureau of Reclamation
Operator(s)Florida Water Conservancy District
Dam and spillways
ImpoundsFlorida River
Height284 ft (87 m)
Length1,360 ft (410 m)
Reservoir
CreatesLemon Reservoir
Total capacity40,145 acre-feet (49,518,000 cubic meters)
Normal elevation2,478 m (8,130 ft) [1]
Installed capacity120 kW
Aerial view of the Lemon Reservoir

Lemon Reservoir is about three miles (4.8 km) long, one-half mile (0.8 km) wide, has a total surface area of 622 acres (252 ha) and a total capacity of 40,145 acre-feet (49,518,000 cubic meters).[3]

Climate

edit

Lemon Dam has a humid continental climate(Köppen Dfb).

Climate data for Lemon Dam, Colorado, 1991–2020 normals, 1982-2020 extremes: 8110ft (2472m)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 61
(16)
61
(16)
71
(22)
75
(24)
89
(32)
90
(32)
95
(35)
90
(32)
89
(32)
78
(26)
69
(21)
62
(17)
95
(35)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 50.5
(10.3)
52.2
(11.2)
61.3
(16.3)
68.3
(20.2)
76.6
(24.8)
84.7
(29.3)
88.0
(31.1)
84.8
(29.3)
80.9
(27.2)
72.4
(22.4)
60.7
(15.9)
51.9
(11.1)
88.5
(31.4)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 37.0
(2.8)
39.6
(4.2)
47.1
(8.4)
54.1
(12.3)
63.1
(17.3)
74.7
(23.7)
79.0
(26.1)
76.3
(24.6)
69.9
(21.1)
58.6
(14.8)
46.3
(7.9)
37.3
(2.9)
56.9
(13.8)
Daily mean °F (°C) 23.2
(−4.9)
25.5
(−3.6)
33.2
(0.7)
40.2
(4.6)
49.0
(9.4)
58.6
(14.8)
63.9
(17.7)
61.9
(16.6)
55.6
(13.1)
45.1
(7.3)
34.1
(1.2)
25.2
(−3.8)
43.0
(6.1)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 9.3
(−12.6)
11.4
(−11.4)
19.3
(−7.1)
26.3
(−3.2)
34.8
(1.6)
42.5
(5.8)
48.7
(9.3)
47.5
(8.6)
41.3
(5.2)
31.6
(−0.2)
21.8
(−5.7)
13.1
(−10.5)
29.0
(−1.7)
Mean minimum °F (°C) −7.6
(−22.0)
−6.3
(−21.3)
1.5
(−16.9)
13.3
(−10.4)
24.1
(−4.4)
32.0
(0.0)
41.2
(5.1)
40.2
(4.6)
29.6
(−1.3)
18.2
(−7.7)
5.0
(−15.0)
−4.7
(−20.4)
−10.1
(−23.4)
Record low °F (°C) −19
(−28)
−26
(−32)
−10
(−23)
2
(−17)
15
(−9)
25
(−4)
32
(0)
31
(−1)
22
(−6)
7
(−14)
−8
(−22)
−21
(−29)
−26
(−32)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 2.70
(69)
2.48
(63)
1.97
(50)
1.63
(41)
1.63
(41)
0.95
(24)
3.04
(77)
3.48
(88)
3.43
(87)
2.50
(64)
2.07
(53)
2.41
(61)
28.29
(718)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 29.10
(73.9)
28.50
(72.4)
18.90
(48.0)
9.80
(24.9)
1.70
(4.3)
0.00
(0.00)
0.00
(0.00)
0.00
(0.00)
0.00
(0.00)
3.00
(7.6)
14.10
(35.8)
25.90
(65.8)
131
(332.7)
Source 1: NOAA[4]
Source 2: XMACIS2 (records & monthly max/mins)[5]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Lemon Dam
  2. ^ "Dam details - Lemon Dam - Bureau of Reclamation". Archived from the original on 2012-09-25. Retrieved 2012-07-27.
  3. ^ "Recreation.gov - Camping, Cabins, RVs, Permits, Passes & More". Recreation.gov. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
  4. ^ "Lemon Dam, Colorado 1991-2020 Monthly Normals". Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  5. ^ "xmACIS". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
edit

37°22′56″N 107°39′37″W / 37.38235°N 107.66029°W / 37.38235; -107.66029