Rangely in Rio Blanco County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Taylor Draw Dam and Kenney Reservoir

A Water Storage Project of Water Users Association No. One

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 25, 2016

1. Taylor Draw Dam and Kenney Reservoir Marker (panel 1)

Inscription.
Built and paid for by the people of Western Rio Blanco County

Dedicated September 1984

Operating Commission
Kenneth O. Kenney, Association President
Norman Klements, Commission Chairman
W. Grant Peel • Mace Cox • Dennis Williams

Storage Capacity — 13,800 acre feet
Surface Acres — 615 Acres
Height of Dam — 74 Feet
Length of Crest — 1,250 Feet
Spillway Capacity — 65,300 CFS
Project Cost — $13,000,000 — G.O. Bond
Project Purpose — Recreation, municipal water supply, hydroelectric power, irrigation.

Owner — Water Users Association No. 1 in the Colorado River Water Conservation District
Engineer — Western Engineers, Inc.
Contractor — Gibbons and Reed Company
Spillway Material — Reinforced Earth Company

The facing of the spillway is a precast concrete panel similar to the one on which this plaque is attached. Steel strips are attached to the back of the panels and extend into the dam earth embankment. This unique concept resulted in considerable savings in the construction cost of the dam.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Parks & Recreational Areas • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical month for this entry is September 1984.

Location. 40° 6.901′ N, 108° 42.487′ W. Marker is

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in Rangely, Colorado, in Rio Blanco County. It can be reached from State Highway 64 4.6 miles east of State Highway 139, on the left when traveling east. The marker is at the Kenney Reservoir boat launch and parking area. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Rangely CO 81648, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Western Slope.

It is also in the American Mountain West.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least one other marker is within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Escalante Expedition (approx. 4½ miles away).

Also see . . .
1. Kenney Reservoir (Wikipedia).

Excerpt: The reservoir is owned and managed by the Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District. The dam, called Taylor Draw Dam, (National ID # CO02572) is an earthen dam, with a large center spillway, built in 1984. The dam was constructed to prevent flooding caused by ice dams on the White River, dams that would cause flooding along Main Street in Rangely. The dam's height was increased in 1991 to allow for the addition of a hydroelectric power plant. The 2-megawatt plant began operation in 1993 and supplies electricity to the nearby area.

(Submitted on December 2, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Taylor Draw Dam & Kenney Reservoir (Town of Rangely, Colorado).

Excerpt: Kenney Reservoir is a stunning lake just a mile east
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 25, 2016

2. Taylor Draw Dam and Kenney Reservoir Marker
(panel 2)
of Rangely where Taylor Draw Dam stops the White River. The lake offers flat-water recreation for visitors and locals alike, from skiing and diving, swimming and boating, to kayaking and paddle-boarding. It is also a popular fishing spot with an annual Fishing Derby kicking off the fishing season each year. Kenney Reservoir also hosts a marina, campgrounds and wildlife viewing areas.
Rio Blanco Water Conservation District, a special district of the State of Colorado, is run by a District Manager and governed by a board of directors with five members. The district manages Taylor Draw Dam, the Taylor Draw Hydroelectric facility, Kenney Reservoir and all of the inundation land (areas that are allowed to flood).

(Submitted on December 2, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Taylor Draw Dam and Kenney Reservoir Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 25, 2016

3. Taylor Draw Dam and Kenney Reservoir Marker

Looking west from the parking lot; Kenney Reservoir is in the background.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 25, 2016

4. Taylor Draw Dam and Kenney Reservoir Marker

Kenney Reservoir Map image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 25, 2016

5. Kenney Reservoir Map

Kenney Reservoir image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 25, 2016

6. Kenney Reservoir

Credits. This page was last revised on December 2, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 29, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 78 times since then and 39 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on December 2, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.