Paonia Dam

{{Short description|Dam in Gunnison County, Colorado, US}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

Paonia Dam is a dam in Gunnison County, Colorado.

The earthen dam was a project of the United States Bureau of Reclamation. Built between 1959 and 1962 for irrigation storage, it stands {{convert|199|feet}} high and {{convert|770|feet}} across at its crest.[http://www.usbr.gov/projects//ImageServer?imgName=Doc_1305126167556.pdf Projects]usbr.gov {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120926103036/http://www.usbr.gov/projects//ImageServer?imgName=Doc_1305126167556.pdf |date=September 26, 2012 }}

The lake it creates, Paonia Reservoir, has a surface area of {{convert|334|acres}} with a total capacity of {{convert|20,950|acre feet}} and a normal capacity of {{convert|18,150|acre feet}}[http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Paonia+Dam&groupName=Overview Paonia Dam]usbr.gov {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905144234/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Paonia+Dam&groupName=Overview |date=September 5, 2015 }} and a normal elevation of {{convert|1968|m}}.{{gnis|186391}} The recreational facilities of Paonia State Park include campsites, picnic sites and a boat ramp. Geologic formations from the Cretaceous and Paleocene periods are visible in the park, along with fossilized palm fronds and leaf imprints. Park uplands are gambel oak shrublands along with mixed conifer and aspen forests. Commonly seen wildlife includes, mule deer, elk, cottontail rabbit and marmot.[http://parks.state.co.us/Parks/Paonia/ Paonia]state.co.us {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091112072818/http://parks.state.co.us/Parks/paonia |date=November 12, 2009 }}