Standley Lake
Encyclopedia
Standley Lake is a 1000 acres (4 km²) lake
located in Westminster, Colorado
. The lake serves as a reservoir
and is also used for recreation
. It is the prominent feature of the surrounding 3000 acres (12.1 km²) Standley Lake Regional Park.
The reservoir covers approximately 1000 acres (4 km²), with 42000 acre.ft of capacity with its deepest point at 96 feet. The reservoir's water comes from Clear Creek and Woman's Creek. Standley Lake Reservoir is used as a municipal water supply for Westminster, Northglenn
, and Thornton
, as well as agricultural irrigation
.
A local high school, Standley Lake High School
, is named after the lake, as is a nearby Jefferson County library as well as several local businesses, shopping centers and residential subdivisions. The lake is owned by the Farmers Reservoir and Irrigation Company (FRICO); the surrounding park and the recreational use of the lake are managed by the City of Westminster.
The project began in 1902 with Joseph Standley, Thomas P. Croke and Milton Smith incorporating the Farmers Reservoir and Irrigation Company. The original plan to be revised down from 100000 acre.ft to 50000 acre.ft and the intention at the time was to raise the dam later to its full capacity. Construction began in 1907 and although problems concerning the stability of the dam were noted during construction the work went on and was completed in May of 1912.
In 1913 cracks began to appear in the dam, and a major slide occurred on the downstream face in 1914. This was repaired immediately. In 1916 there was another major slide, this time on the upstream face of the dam. This was not repaired until 1922.
It was not until an agreement with the Farmers Reservoir and Irrigation Company (FRICO) in 1963 gave Westminster 12000 acre.ft of storage in Standley Lake. This was Westminster's first major water agreement.
This agreement was the beginning of several years of competition, distrust and lawsuits as Westminster competed with FRICO for Clear Creek Water .The February 16, 1972 issue of the Rocky Mountain News" A demand for utilities by tax-rich industry in northwest Jefferson and West Adams counties in 1970 kicked off the biggest and bitterest land war in recent Denver metropolitan history." The original dispute began with Westminster, Northglenn, and Broomfield over revenues from building industrial complexes that were in un-incorporated areas near Westminster. Westminster was the only one with enough water to serve new companies. There were two things that fueled this bitter dispute; each city's heavy investment in or desire for utilities and the Colorado annexation law. Commerce City and Arvada entered the dispute later. By 1971 Westminster had quelled most of the land battles. In 1978 FRICO and the City of Westminster sat down and settled the "Flip Flop Suit," giving Westminster the right to carry over unused water, thus increasing the City's water supply at no additional cost.
In 1988 the Standley Lake Task Force was formed by the City of Westminster and Jefferson County. In April 1998, Jefferson County Open Space (JCOS) and FRICO finalized several years of negotiations and reached an agreement for the purchase of the land and recreation rights surrounding Standley Lake. JCOS then deeded all property owned at that time to the City of Westminster for the purpose of upgrading and maintaining Standley Lake as a regional park. JCOS also contributed $2.4 Million to be used for improvements which included a boat
ramp, campground, restroom facilities, fish
cleaning station, ranger station/visitor center
, access roads and trail system. The area was designated a Regional Park in 1998.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
located in Westminster, Colorado
Westminster, Colorado
Westminster is a Home Rule Municipality in Adams and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. Westminster is a northwest suburb of Denver. The Westminster Municipal Center is located north-northwest of the Colorado State Capitol. The United States Census Bureau that the city population...
. The lake serves as a reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
and is also used for recreation
Recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
. It is the prominent feature of the surrounding 3000 acres (12.1 km²) Standley Lake Regional Park.
The reservoir covers approximately 1000 acres (4 km²), with 42000 acre.ft of capacity with its deepest point at 96 feet. The reservoir's water comes from Clear Creek and Woman's Creek. Standley Lake Reservoir is used as a municipal water supply for Westminster, Northglenn
Northglenn, Colorado
Northglenn is a Home Rule Municipality in Adams and Weld counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 33,697 in 2008.-Geography:Northglenn is located at ....
, and Thornton
Thornton, Colorado
The city of Thornton is a Home Rule Municipality in Adams and Weld counties in the U.S. state of Colorado and a suburb of the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. Thornton is northeast of the state's capital, Denver. The United States Census Bureau that the city population...
, as well as agricultural irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
.
A local high school, Standley Lake High School
Standley Lake High School
Standley Lake High School is a public secondary school operated by Jefferson County School District R-1 in Westminster, Colorado, United States. The school is located near 104th Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard and is named for nearby Standley Lake. The high school opened in 1988 and a new addition...
, is named after the lake, as is a nearby Jefferson County library as well as several local businesses, shopping centers and residential subdivisions. The lake is owned by the Farmers Reservoir and Irrigation Company (FRICO); the surrounding park and the recreational use of the lake are managed by the City of Westminster.
History
Standley Lake is named after O.J. Standley, a vice-president of Chicago Title and Trust. He was involved in financing immigrants to come to the United States and become farmers. He had a grand plan to build a 100000 acre.ft lake that would be able to irrigate the many farms that were starting up in the area. His original plan was in the Barr Lake area. He was not able to fulfill his original plan. He met Thomas P. Croke who was recruiting Irish immigrants to work for the railroad. Mr. Croke held an interest in the Kinnear Reservoir which dates back to 1869 and the original plan of 100000 acre.ft lake was again alive by enlarging the Kinnear Reservoir and it would have the largest earth-filled dam.The project began in 1902 with Joseph Standley, Thomas P. Croke and Milton Smith incorporating the Farmers Reservoir and Irrigation Company. The original plan to be revised down from 100000 acre.ft to 50000 acre.ft and the intention at the time was to raise the dam later to its full capacity. Construction began in 1907 and although problems concerning the stability of the dam were noted during construction the work went on and was completed in May of 1912.
In 1913 cracks began to appear in the dam, and a major slide occurred on the downstream face in 1914. This was repaired immediately. In 1916 there was another major slide, this time on the upstream face of the dam. This was not repaired until 1922.
It was not until an agreement with the Farmers Reservoir and Irrigation Company (FRICO) in 1963 gave Westminster 12000 acre.ft of storage in Standley Lake. This was Westminster's first major water agreement.
This agreement was the beginning of several years of competition, distrust and lawsuits as Westminster competed with FRICO for Clear Creek Water .The February 16, 1972 issue of the Rocky Mountain News" A demand for utilities by tax-rich industry in northwest Jefferson and West Adams counties in 1970 kicked off the biggest and bitterest land war in recent Denver metropolitan history." The original dispute began with Westminster, Northglenn, and Broomfield over revenues from building industrial complexes that were in un-incorporated areas near Westminster. Westminster was the only one with enough water to serve new companies. There were two things that fueled this bitter dispute; each city's heavy investment in or desire for utilities and the Colorado annexation law. Commerce City and Arvada entered the dispute later. By 1971 Westminster had quelled most of the land battles. In 1978 FRICO and the City of Westminster sat down and settled the "Flip Flop Suit," giving Westminster the right to carry over unused water, thus increasing the City's water supply at no additional cost.
In 1988 the Standley Lake Task Force was formed by the City of Westminster and Jefferson County. In April 1998, Jefferson County Open Space (JCOS) and FRICO finalized several years of negotiations and reached an agreement for the purchase of the land and recreation rights surrounding Standley Lake. JCOS then deeded all property owned at that time to the City of Westminster for the purpose of upgrading and maintaining Standley Lake as a regional park. JCOS also contributed $2.4 Million to be used for improvements which included a boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
ramp, campground, restroom facilities, fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
cleaning station, ranger station/visitor center
Visitor center
A visitor center or centre , visitor information center, tourist information center, is a physical location that provides tourist information to the visitors who tour the place or area locally...
, access roads and trail system. The area was designated a Regional Park in 1998.