From the Vault
Water
Introduction
Water is one of the most valuable commodities in the west. Water in Summit County has drastically changed through each period of history: rivers and glaciers carved the valleys of the mountains, miners utilized water in many aspects, ranchers used irrigation systems to change water paths, growing populations increased the need for manufactured dams and reservoirs, and the tourist industry profits on recreational uses of the water.
You cannot talk about Summit County’s history
without talking about water.
Lake Dillon Reservoir in 1964
This image shows the Lake Dillon Reservoir in 1964.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections; The Alan Rice Digital Collection.
Early Ute People valued rivers and lakes as rich hunting and fishing grounds to sustain their nomadic lives. Innovating technologies of basket weaving and early irrigation systems, the Ute People relied on water to survive. Similarly, water determined the survival of early settlers. With limited accessibility, water became an essential aspect of political lawmaking in Colorado.
Silver Falls at Uneva Lake
This image shows Silver Falls at Uneva Lake. Uneva Lake is about 2.8 miles from Frisco, Colorado near Masontown.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections; The Susan Badge Collection.
Blue River in September 1921
This image shows the Blue River in September 1921.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections; The Minnie Thomas Collection.
Hydraulic mining was widely popular in the Breckenridge Mining District. Miners used high-pressure water jets to dislodge rocks, move sediment, and extract minerals. The water then ran through sluice boxes, removing the gold from the sediment. Additionally, Dredge Boat mining became increasingly popular along Summit County rivers as the boats dug up river beds in search of minerals.
Tonopah Dredge No. 1
A photograph of the Tonopah Dredge operating on the Blue River. This No. 1 dredge is now in the Breckenridge and shut down. This No.1 dredge had traveled over 7 miles since 1919 and made a pile of rocks 500 feet wide and 30 feet high above the surface of the ground.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections; The Neil Westlake Collection.
Hydraulic Mining Operations at Hoosier Pass
This image shows hydraulic mining operations at Hoosier Pass, south of Breckenridge, Colorado in the early 1900s.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections.
When mining began to decline in the 1890s, the industry of Homesteads and ranching grew. Maneuvering water from rivers and creeks quickly became critical as ranching became more prevalent in the county. Lawmakers passed the Colorado Doctrine in the 1860s. This doctrine adopted laws regarding water use and land ownership. Today, Colorado uses the “Prior Appropriation System,” unique to the West and Midwest; this water allocation system determines who uses how much water, the types of uses allowed, and when those waters can be used. (Also known as “first in time, first in right.”)
Unidentified Lake and Mountains
This image shows an unidentified Lake and Mountains.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections; the Doug Pierce Collection.
Ten Mile Creek c. 1940
This image shows the landscape of Ten Mile Creek in Frisco, Colorado c. 1940.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections.
Throughout Summit County’s history, residents and tourists have used water for recreational purposes. Fishing, hiking, swimming, boating, and camping have always been popular pastimes for Summit County residents and visitors. Today we see increased water use for recreation through commercial rafting on major rivers, boating on the local lakes, and fishing tours around the county. Additionally, we see water use for making snow with expanding ski seasons.
Man Stands Near Pond at the Top of a Hill in Breckenridge
This image shows a man standing near a pond at the top of the hill, in Breckenridge, Colorado between 1890-1900. Photograph by P. J. Ward.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections.
Uneva Lake in 1888
This picture shows Uneva Lake in 1888. Uneva Lake is about 2.8 miles from Frisco, Colorado near Masontown.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections; The Erwine H. Stewart Collection.
Water laws play a crucial factor in the man-made reservoirs in Summit County. The Green Mountain Reservoir was completed in 1943 as part of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project to divert water to the Eastern Colorado Slope and provide a hydroelectric power plant. Lake Dillon Reservoir was completed in 1962 by Denver Water to provide water to Denver residents.
Both reservoirs serve as reminders that was is here now has not always been. They remind us that shifting water paths, the movement of townsites and local flora, the control of water release from dams, and the construction on wetlands have impacted the ecology of Summit County’s water and wildlife.
The Blue River during the construction of the Dillon Dam.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections.
Today, the pressures of Global Warming, the continuous building of infrastructure, and the recreational use of water will only continue to impact the changes in waterways, wildlife, and water ownership debates in Summit County.
Men sit by the water diversion headgate at the Maggie Ditch for the Gold Pan Mining placer mining operations near the southern outskirts of Breckenridge, Colorado in the early 1900s.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections.
Roy Swan in Haywood, Colorado (Keystone) c. 1966.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections; The Riley Family Photograph Collection.
Mohawk Lake at the Head of Blue River Between 1896-1900.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections; The Erwine H. Stewart Collection.
Mohawk Lake in 1898.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections; The Erwine H. Stewart Collection.
Fisherman and a Dog on Uneva Lake in 1921.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections; The Neil Westlake Collection.
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