Skeel Reservoir in Wellshire Golf Course

Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) has begun a redesign of Skeel Reservoir located in the southeast corner of the Wellshire Golf Course. The reservoir is no longer used to irrigate the golf course, and the existing earthen dam is considered a high-risk dam according to the State Engineer’s Office.

The goal of the project is to decommission the dam and convert the area to a 100-year stormwater detention pond with stormwater quality control. The project will significantly reduce the risk of flooding to downstream properties, protect human lives, and help deliver cleaner stormwater to Denver waterways. Project upgrades will include site grading to provide a safe and operational golf driving range, as well as new inlets in the driving range area to capture local runoff and route it to the existing storm sewer system instead of allowing it to flow across the golf course fairways.

Construction of this project is not currently funded, but the project team is applying for a FEMA grant in hopes of receiving funds to complete the project.

November 2023 Update

Skeel Reservoir at Wellshire Golf Course has been drained of water for approximately three years as part of the reservoir's decommissioning process. The ground at the site of the former reservoir remains extremely water-logged and difficult to navigate for construction vehicles. In an effort to stabilize the area prior to construction of the driving range, the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) Operations Team is bringing in recycled concrete and soil. The material will be set in such a way to provide a stable access path for construction vehicles to begin work to dry out the bottom of the reservoir. The concrete and soil is coming from active infrastructure construction sites in the City, and is tested and has to be free of environmental hazards prior to import. You may see construction vehicles coming in from Hampden Avenue and stockpiling material on the east side of the former reservoir before it is installed. This effort will continue throughout the winter months of 2023 and 2024.

Construction of the stormwater improvements and driving range is not currently funded, but the project team is searching for grant opportunities to complete the project.

60% Planting Plan

 
60% Design Planting Plan - Full Size Image(JPG, 840KB)