A stunning lake in Colorado was drained without warning, sparking outrage.
Crystal Lake, which has become a popular spot with locals and tourists, is almost completely dry after the U.S. Forest Service emptied the reservoir just above Ouray in April.
Officials said cracks and signs of leaking had been discovered in the Full Moon Dam, leaving it at risk of failure, which could be highly destructive or even fatal.
Dana Gardunio, Ouray District Forester for the Forest Service, said The Colorado Sun: “If the water rose to a certain level, it could destroy some bridges, roads and potentially homes built within the floodplain.”
Crystal Lake, once a stunning tourist spot, was drained in April
An aerial shot of Crystal Lake, which was drained in April by the U.S. Forest Service.
Draining the lake has raised concerns in Ouray because the city had an agreement with the U.S. Forest Service to store water in the reservoir.
Water from Crystal Lake flows north into Red Mountain Creek to enter Ouray and Canyon Creek.
For Ouray, having this water supply is important for the city’s population growth and hot springs.
Ouray Mayor Ethan Funk told DailyMail.com: ‘It’s a great place to walk, hang out and take pictures.
‘It’s frustrating and mysterious to me as to why the Forest Service reacted the way they did all of a sudden.
‘I’m sure many citizens are scratching their heads and saying “wow!” Why did all this happen?
Funk said that by draining the dam the Forest Service went “against the agreement we had” and that the city is now faced with finding more water storage.
According to Funk, one of the main concerns of the Ouray community is the lack of communication when making this decision.
Funk and Ouray County Commissioner Lynn Padgett said they don’t understand why there wasn’t more transparency, especially if the dam posed a threat.
The lake dam is considered high risk, so it was drained
Padgett told The Colorado Sun: ‘Part of this is just understanding: Is there really a health and safety issue as imminent as a dam failure?’ Because for the county, of course, we are concerned about public safety because we would be the first to respond.
‘If there is a public safety issue, why weren’t we notified sooner?’
The lake was drained in April to relieve pressure on the compromised dam, according to the Plain Ouray County Dealer.
The original closure was scheduled to last until June 30, but last week, about five months later, complaints that it was empty were still being reported.
Now there is only a small amount of water left at the bottom of the lake that could not be drained.
Speaking about why the problem has resurfaced again now, Funk said: “I think it’s because all the ‘leaf peepers’ are showing up expecting to see the deposit there and they’re not.”
Crystal Lake is mostly drained and dry, having not been refilled since the Forest Service drained it in April.
In 2023, problems arose when a 46-foot crack was detected in the dam, which was last redone in 2012. Parts of the dam were first built in the 19th century.
The reservoir contains about 80 acre-feet of water and is eight feet deep.
Environmentalist Tanya Ishikawa expressed concern about the drainage of the lake because the peat at its bottom is now directly exposed to the sun. Peat is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, he told The Colorado Sun.
Eric Gardunio of the Colorado Parks Department told DailyMail.com: ‘From our perspective, we would love to get that aquatic resource back.
“But we understand the security concerns associated with that infrastructure.”
In previous years, more than 22,000 Colorado River cutthroat trout filled Crystal Lake, which is now completely depleted of fish.
As the future of the dam and Crystal Lake remains uncertain, people mourn the loss of an iconic attraction and suspect an ulterior motive.
The reservoir is 86 acre-feet wide and approximately eight feet deep.
At an April meeting about Crystal Lake, Linsey Blinder of the U.S. Department of Forestry said that “our idea is to remove the dam” and “the long-term plan would be to restore the area to natural wetlands.”
According to an information request from Ouray County, converting the lake to wetlands was the most recently discussed course of action.
Facebook user Irene Harp was disappointed she didn’t get to see the beautiful lake this year.
“I was very sad because I couldn’t enjoy it this time.”
Amanda Lynn Rich revealed that the lake has sentimental value to her.
Rich commented: “We are getting married on the shores of this incredible place in 2022. My husband and I were so sad to see it exhausted.”
The site is a popular location for ceremonies, weddings and family reunions.
Crystal Lake is also considered an accessible fishing spot and a popular site for weddings, ceremonies and family reunions.
However, upon inspection of the site, no fish were found this year, according to Gardunio.
Danielle Boutin, a Floridian who loves visiting the lake, told The Colorado Sun, “I think it’s a really iconic place and another hidden gem found in the Ouray area.
“I hope one day they can find a way to fill it in, even if it takes a while.”
Funk told DailMail.com that he is confident that one day the beloved reservoir will be filled again. He said, ‘Let’s get that water tank back!’
DailyMail.com has contacted the US Forest Service for comment.
