A beautiful Colorado lake has been drained without warning, sparking outrage.
Crystal Lake, which has become a popular spot among locals and tourists, is almost completely dry after the U.S. Forest Service drained the reservoir just above Ouray in April.
Officials said cracks and signs of leakage had been discovered in the Full Moon Dam, putting it at risk of failure, which could be highly destructive or even fatal.
Dana Gardunio, Ouray District Ranger for the Forest Service, shared The Colorado sun: ‘If the water were to rise to a certain level, it would wipe out a number of bridges, roads and possibly houses built on the floodplain.’
Crystal Lake, once a beautiful tourist attraction, was drained in April
An aerial view of Crystal Lake, which was drained by the US Forest Service in April
Draining the lake is a concern for Ouray because the city had an agreement with the U.S. Forest Service to store water in the reservoir.
Crystal Lake water 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 beautiful place to just walk, hang out and take pictures.
“It’s frustrating and mysterious to me why the Forest Service suddenly reacted the way it did.
“I’m sure many citizens are scratching their heads and saying ‘whoa!’ Why did all this happen?’
Funk claimed that by draining the dam, the Forest Service was “in violation of 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 in 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’s dam is considered high-risk and that is why it has been drained
Padgett told The Colorado Sun, “Part of it is just understanding: Is there really an impending health and safety issue, like a dam failure? Because we obviously have public safety concerns for the county because we would be the first responders.
“If there is a public safety issue, why weren’t we notified sooner?”
The lake was drained in April to relieve pressure on the damaged dam Ouray County Plain Dealer.
The original closure was due to last until June 30, but complaints about vacancy continued to be received last week, some five months later.
There is now only a small amount of water left at the bottom of the lake, which could not be drained.
Speaking about why the issue has now resurfaced, Funk said: “I think it’s because all the ‘leaf peepers’ show up expecting to see the reservoir there, but they don’t.”
Crystal Lake has been largely drained and dried up, having not been replenished since the Forest Service drained it in April
Problems arose in 2023 when a 13-metre-high crack was discovered in the dam, which was last renewed in 2012. Parts of the dam were first built in the 19th century.
The reservoir contains approximately 80 hectares of water and is 2.5 meters deep.
Environmentalist Tanya Ishikawa expressed concern about draining the lake because the peat at the bottom is now directly exposed to the sun. Peat is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, she told The Colorado Sun.
Eric Gardunio of the Colorado Parks Department told DailyMail.com, “From our perspective, we would like to get that water source back.
“But we do understand the safety issues associated with that infrastructure.”
In previous years, more than 22,000 Colorado River cutthroat trout stocked Crystal Lake, which is now completely devoid of fish.
As the future of the dam and Crystal Lake remains uncertain, people are mourning the loss of an iconic attraction and have grown suspicious of an ulterior motive.
The reservoir is 86 hectares wide and approximately 2.5 meters deep
At an April meeting about Crystal Lake, Linsey Blinder of the U.S. Forest Department said “our intention is to remove the dam” and “the long-term plan would be to restore the area to natural wetlands.”
Converting the lake to wetlands was the most recently discussed course of action, according to an information request from Ouray County.
Facebook user Irene Harp was simply disappointed that she didn’t get to see the beautiful lake this year.
“I was really sad that I couldn’t enjoy it this time.”
Amanda Lynn Rich revealed that it has more sentimental value to her.
Rich commented, “We got married on the shores of this incredible place in 2022. My husband and I were so sad to see it dry.”
The site is a popular place for ceremonies, weddings and family celebrations
Crystal Lake is also considered an accessible fishing location and a popular location for weddings, ceremonies and family gatherings.
Yet after an on-site inspection this year, no fish were found, Gardunio said.
Danielle Boutin, a Floridian who enjoys visiting the lake, told The Colorado Sun, “I think it’s a truly iconic spot and another hidden gem in the Ouray area.
“I hope they can find a way to refill it one day, even if it takes a while.”
Funk told DailMail.com he is confident the beloved reservoir will one day be refilled. He said, ‘We’re going to get that water storage back!’
DailyMail.com has reached out to the US Forest Service for comment.