Expansion of Ziegler Reservoir to add 40 million gallons of storage

A 2027 expansion will bring 40 million additional gallons of storage to Snowmass’ Village’s Ziegler Reservoir. 

The reservoir currently plays a critical role in storing water and snowmaking. According to a press release, the goal of the enhancement is to continue to support the current needs of the town and to ensure Snowmass’ water supply is protected during drought years.

“Raw water reservoir storage is fundamental to our long-range planning goals,” said District Manager of Snowmass Water & Sanitation District Kit Hamby in a press release. “Deepening Ziegler Reservoir will provide Snowmass Village with an additional 40 million gallons of storage — an indispensable asset during periods of drought and low stream flows.”

The project will be underway from May to September 2027.

Beyond serving a crucial infrastructure need, Ziegler Reservoir has also been the site of a previous Ice Age fossil discovery. In 2010, a construction crew found a single tusk of a mammoth during an expansion project. When The Denver Museum of Nature & Science took over the site, they uncovered more than 6,000 large animal and 30,000 small animal bones representing animals such as mammoths, mastodons, giant ground sloths, Ice Age bison and more. 

“Today, the Snowmass paleontological site is recognized as the richest high-altitude Ice Age ecosystem ever discovered,” the release adds. 

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science will be leading the latest round of scientific discovery work at Ziegler Reservoir. The museum plans to analyze data from ancient soils in order to reconstruct how plants, animals and climate changed together over tens of thousands of years. 

“New research approaches can add layers of information to an already extraordinary Ice Age story,” the release states.

Project partners will keep the public updated on discoveries as the project unfolds through Museum updates, media coverage and guest experiences in Snowmass.

“While the reservoir expansion is an important infrastructure project for water storage for the Snowmass community, the likelihood of uncovering additional Ice Age fossils is a very exciting prospect for us,” Snowmass Tourism Director Julia Theisen said in the release. “We look forward to supporting the scientific discoveries and sharing this remarkable story with visitors and residents as it unfolds. Snowmass is going to be the place to be next summer!”

More information on the project can be found at http://www.snowmassiceage.com.