South Suburban Reservoir in the Stratton Open Space in Colorado Springs is closed to the public while repairs are made to the dam’s outlet. The integrity of the dam remains intact, but the outlet must function properly to ensure we can continue to move water from the reservoir to treatment.
Please note that some trail sections near the reservoir are closed for public safety due to construction equipment in these areas (see map). It's important to also be mindful of construction vehicles traveling on N. Cheyenne Canyon Road in the Stratton Open Space while repairs are underway.
The reservoir holds raw water from our local watersheds and is an integral component of our local water system. An issue with the outlet was discovered in early April 2024 during a routine inspection, and state dam officials confirmed the need for repairs. A timeline for those repairs is included below.
Water service for our customers will not be impacted while the reservoir is temporarily out of service, as we can access supplies from other reservoirs in our system for the interim.
Project timeline
• April 3, 2024: Issue discovered during an internal dam inspection. Further assessment by our dam safety engineer and state dam officials confirmed the need for prompt repairs to the outlet.
✔ April 12: Reservoir access closed to the public.
✔ April 12 - April 30: Controlled draining of the reservoir completed.
✔ May 1 - May 17: The remaining 10 feet of water was drained through the outfall pipe in a slow and controlled manner to mitigate trail erosion and potential customer impacts.
- Collaborated with City Parks to expand one culvert and clean several culverts, both public and private, prior to draining.
- All water released from the reservoir was accounted for and traded to downstream users to ensure the best use of supplies.
✔ August 8: Construction design completed and submitted to the State of Colorado Engineer Office for approval.
✔ January 2025: Required construction plan revisions completed and approved. Construction to be scheduled pending procurement of materials.
✔ April 8-9, 2025: Construction mobilization.
• Fall 2025: Anticipated construction completion.
• Spring 2026: Reservoir expected to resume full service.
*The project timeline changed due to required plan revisions, weather and supply chain delays.
The reservoir is not open to hikers at this time. The community is asked to please respect construction perimeters in place as we work to return South Suburban Reservoir to service.
Questions or concerns may be directed to (719) 668-7765 or engage@csu.org.
