How was turquoise lake in colorado formed?
Answers
One of Colorado's favorite high-altitude recreational destinations is Turquoise Lake. Located five miles west of vacation playground Leadville, 1,780-acre Turquoise Lake offers plenty of opportunity for avid outdoors fans to enjoy woods, water and wide mountain vistas. As part of the Frying Pan-Arkansas Project developed by the United States Bureau of Reclamation, visitors have plenty of access to the water and surrounding Mount Massive Wilderness Area's 30,540 acres with numerous campgrounds where they can temporarily stake their claim.
At nearly 10,000 feet elevation, Turquoise Lake appears to have originally been a natural lake formed along Lake Fork Creek. With a great deal of mining activity in the area, Turquoise Lake was likely first dammed late in the 19th century and named for the rare turquoise deposits found nearby. The effort to provide plentiful water for the growing population of the Front Range gave birth to massive water projects to move water from the west side of the Rocky Mountains to the east. The Frying Pan-Arkansas Project is one of the largest and most complicated of the water reclamation projects, second only to the Colorado-Big Thompson Project. The reservoir stores water that is funneled to Twin Lakes a few miles south. Completion of the current Sugar Loaf Dam in 1968, along with the addition of a berm along the east end of the new reservoir, raised water levels and dislodged some long-established cottage resorts. The Bureau of Reclamation then established recreational opportunities for eager visitors. In cooperation with the US Forest Service as part of the San Isabel National Forest, eight campgrounds were developed within Turquoise Lake Recreation Area around the east end of the lake.
The campgrounds hold a total of 300 campsites and enough amenities to make a stay enjoyable if not modern. Potable water is available and picnic tables, vault toilets and campground hosts are provided. Nearly all campsites are wooded, and many have access to Turquoise Lake. Due to the high altitude and chilly summer nights, swimming is hardly an option, although a few hardy souls do engage in water skiing while wearing insulating wetsuits. Instead, sunny and sometimes hot summer days are enjoyed in hiking the many trails in the area and viewing the wildlife. The woods hold mule deer, elk, porcupine and the occasional bear along with a variety of smaller mammals.
Trail guides are available near the trail heads at Molly Creek Campground with a favorite short walk being the 1.2-mile Turquoise Lake Nature Trail. The Nature Trail intersects the longer 6.4-mile Turquoise Lake Trail that travels along the shoreline from the dam to the May Queen Campground. More strenuous, the Lake Fork Creek Trail climbs to the northwest to Timberline Lake a bit over 2 miles. Trails leading into higher elevations explore above the timberline, leading to alpine plant patches and permanent snowfields. Marmot and pica are sometimes seen on these high elevation hikes. Mountain biking is also a popular activity near Turquoise Lake with several challenging designated mountain bike trails. A half-marathon is held here annually, and other races skirt parts of Turquoise Lake throughout the summer
Fishing is one of the biggest sports at Turquoise Lake with a large population of lake trout, although most are not of massive size. The mackinaw or lake trout are joined by brook trout and rainbow trout, providing plenty of targets for the eager angler. A fishing site at the dam allows for easy shore fishing, and the Matchless Boat Ramp on the east side of the lake accommodates larger boats. All boats must be inspected to prevent invasive species contamination before launch. Although all facilities are closed in winter, the lake itself is a popular spot for ice fishing. Water levels vary greatly during the year, with snowmelt-caused high water receding as much as 65 feet by the end of summer.
They apparently form from glacial flour which results in really beautiful lakes.