North Boat Ramp at Chatfield State Park Due to Open April 1st

As part of the Chatfield Storage Reallocation Project, an important regional water supply endeavor, the leadership team at Chatfield State Park is pleased to announce that the north boat ramp will be open for public use on Sunday morning, April 1st. The opening of the north boat ramp is a key milestone for the park, the public, and the water supply project. Chatfield State Park Manager, Scott Roush, said that “we recognize just how important the boat ramps are to public users during the boating season. We’re very excited to say that the new facilities will provide all of the amenities and parking areas that are as good as the old ones and meet today’s codes and standards.”

The rebuilding of the entire north boat ramp day-use area represents just one piece of the overall water storage project to accommodate higher water levels in the reservoir. While the increased water storage wouldn’t occur until spring of 2020 at the earliest, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who owns and operates Chatfield Dam, required all recreational modifications and environmental mitigation to be complete prior to allowing storage of additional water.

The Chatfield Reservoir Mitigation Company, a non-profit umbrella organization consisting of eight separate entities, is responsible for the financing and implementation of the project. Randy Ray, President of the Company, commented that “the opening of the new boat ramp brings us one step closer to having a fully functioning State park while also making room for more water. Agricultural producers in northern Colorado and growing cities along the Front Range will benefit greatly.”

Starting this Sunday, the north boat ramp will be open for business including a new access road, ample parking for vehicles and trailers, inspection stations for aquatic nuisance species, ramp space at two locations, and courtesy docks that can accommodate up to eight boat launches at one time. Concrete Express, Inc. was the prime contractor responsible for all of the work at the north boat ramp, which was completed on time and within budget. The public should be aware that additional work at the north boat ramp, including trails, shelters, picnic tables, and landscaping, will be completed after April 1st.

A significant amount of construction work around the park is ongoing. For additional information regarding the Chatfield Storage Reallocation Project, such as construction updates, closures, history, newsletters, and supporting documents, please visit www.chatfieldreallocation.org. For information about Chatfield State Park or boat inspections, please visit http://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/Parks/Chatfield.