CFP Voices: Crested Butte Lake Irwin Project

Lake Irwin, located about seven miles west of the Town of Crested Butte, sits at the headwaters of Coal Creek, which is the sole municipal water source for the Town. The Lake Irwin Valve and Piping Project seeks to restore and maintain the raw water conveyance infrastructure, which is critical for both the Town’s domestic drinking water supply and instream flows in Coal Creek.
The infrastructure of the Coal Creek Dam is nearly a century old and needs extensive upgrades to ensure the Dam’s safety and effectiveness. In July 2021, the Colorado River District Community Funding Partnership awarded the Town of Crested Butte $42,000 to assist in the engineering and design to move the project forward toward construction.
Currently, the Town of Crested Butte is finalizing their funding strategy and pursuing funds to ensure the multi-million dollar project will come to fruition.
This video is the second in a series of vignettes designed to tell the stories of the people behind the water projects which represent the innovation, community and resilience which abounds across the Western Slope of Colorado.