Taylor Reservoir Operations

The Taylor Park Reservoir is a body of water that was created by the construction of the Taylor Park Dam in 1937 and is located 35 miles northeast of Gunnison.

The Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District is one of four signatories to the Taylor Park Reservoir Operation and Storage Exchange Agreement that was executed in August 1975. The “75 agreement” forms the basis under which the release patterns from Taylor Park Reservoir are determined each year. The other three parties to the agreement are the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the Colorado River Water Conservation District, and the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association. Each year, the four signatory parties to the agreement participate in an annual meeting (usually in May) and jointly adopt a plan for reservoir releases for the upcoming year.

Each spring, and as necessary throughout the summer, the UGRWCD seeks input and direction from local users of the Taylor River, Taylor Park Reservoir, and the main stem of the Gunnison River above Blue Mesa as to how the reservoir operations can best be optimized for stream fishery, reservoir fishery, irrigation, and rafting and boating purposes in the upper Gunnison basin.