You’ve probably seen the massive crane arms or the dust clouds rising from the foothills just west of Carter Lake. It’s hard to miss if you’re driving anywhere near Berthoud or Loveland. For years, the Chimney Hollow Reservoir project has been this looming, slightly mysterious construction behemoth. People are constantly scouring the web for chimney hollow reservoir photos because, honestly, the scale of this thing is hard to wrap your head around until you see the bird’s-eye view of the asphalt core dam.
It’s not just another pond.
When it's finished, this will be a 90,000 acre-foot storage vessel. But right now? It looks like a lunar colony. The sheer grit of the rock placement and the precision of the dam's "inner spine" make for some of the most striking industrial photography in Colorado history.
Why the Dam's Asphalt Core is the Real Star of These Photos
If you look at recent progress shots from Northern Water, the first thing that jumps out is that dark, narrow strip running right through the center of the main dam. That’s the asphalt core. It’s kinda revolutionary for this part of the world. While most dams in the United States use a clay core to stop water, Chimney Hollow is using a hydraulic asphalt core.
Why? Because clay is fickle. You have to moisture-condition it, and if it freezes, you're done for the season.
The asphalt core, which is only about 20 to 32 inches wide depending on the elevation, allows the crew to keep working even when the Colorado winter gets nasty. In photos, it looks like a tiny highway being built vertically. It’s sandwiched between zones of crushed rock and transition filters. Seeing the specialized "paving" machine crawl along that narrow ridge is a trip. It’s one of those engineering feats that looks way more delicate than it actually is.
The main dam will eventually stand 350 feet tall. That’s higher than the Statue of Liberty. When you see a photo with a massive haul truck—those rigs with tires taller than a grown man—and it looks like a literal toy against the face of the dam, you start to grasp the 15 million cubic yards of rock being moved.
Tracking Progress Through the Lens: From Valley to Vessel
The visual transformation of this valley is staggering. Back in 2021, the chimney hollow reservoir photos coming out were mostly of sagebrush, dirt roads, and the early stages of the diversion tunnel. The tunnel was a big deal—a 2,000-foot-long hole bored through the rock to move water around while the dam was being built.
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Now, the landscape is unrecognizable.
- The "Plinth": You’ll see this in early-stage construction photos. It’s the concrete foundation that anchors the asphalt core to the bedrock. It looks like a long, winding sidewalk at the very bottom of the canyon.
- The Rockfill: This makes up the "meat" of the dam. It’s not just random piles of stone. It's meticulously layered.
- The Intake Tower: This is the massive concrete chimney-looking structure. It’s what will eventually "drink" the water from the reservoir to send it through the pipes.
The project is part of the Windy Gap Firming Project. Basically, it’s a way to make sure the water supply for places like Broomfield, Loveland, and Greeley is actually reliable. Right now, the Windy Gap project only has about 400 acre-feet of storage. That’s nothing. When the snow melts too fast, they lose the water. Chimney Hollow fixes that by giving that water a place to sit until someone needs to turn on a tap in July.
The Contrast of the "North Dam"
Most people focus on the big dam at the south end, but there’s a smaller saddle dam on the north side too. It’s sort of the unsung hero of the site. Photos of the north dam show a more traditional construction style, but it’s equally vital for keeping those 90,000 acre-feet of water from spilling out toward the Larimer County line.
What You Won't See in Official Photos
There is a certain "lived-in" quality to a job site this big that doesn't always make it into the glossy PR shots. It's the dust. It’s the way the light hits the valley at 6:00 AM when the first shift is firing up the engines.
There are hundreds of workers on-site daily.
They aren't just driving trucks; they are geologists, engineers, and environmental specialists. One thing you might notice in some of the more detailed chimney hollow reservoir photos is the environmental mitigation work. They aren't just building a bathtub; they have to deal with wetlands and wildlife corridors. It’s a messy, complicated dance between heavy machinery and nature.
The terrain itself is a challenge. It's rugged. The rock here is hard, abrasive, and tough on equipment. You can see the wear and tear on the machinery if you look closely at high-resolution images. It’s a reminder that while the blueprints are clean, the reality of moving a mountain is incredibly gritty.
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The Future View: Recreation and Water
People keep asking: "When can I put my kayak in there?"
The answer is... not for a while. Even after the dam is physically finished (expected around 2025 or 2026), it takes time to fill. You can't just flip a switch. It depends on the snowpack and the water rights.
But the future chimney hollow reservoir photos will look very different.
Larimer County Natural Resources is going to manage the recreation side. Think non-motorized boating. It's going to be a "wakeless" lake. No jet skis screaming at 2:00 PM. Just SUPs, kayaks, and maybe some very quiet fishing boats. There will be miles of trails connecting back toward the Blue Mountain and Chimney Hollow open space areas.
Imagine the view from the top of the dam looking north over a turquoise pool of water reflected against the hogbacks. It’s going to be a photographer’s dream, especially during the golden hour when the shadows stretch across the water toward the foothills.
A Quick Reality Check on Public Access
Currently, you cannot just drive up to the dam to snap your own chimney hollow reservoir photos. The site is a restricted construction zone. Security is tight, and for good reason—there are active blasts and heavy hauls happening constantly.
Your best bet for seeing it legally?
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- Check the Northern Water website for their official drone galleries.
- Look for the public pull-off spots on the way up to Carter Lake. You can see the "back" of the project from certain vantage points if you have a decent pair of binoculars or a long telephoto lens.
- Follow the Larimer County "Open Lands" updates, as they occasionally host community briefings with visual aids.
Engineering Nuance: The "Staircase" Effect
If you look at the face of the dam in recent images, it has a distinct horizontal banding. This isn't for aesthetics. Each "lift" of the dam is a layer of rock that has to be compacted to specific density requirements. Inspectors are out there with nuclear gauges checking that the ground is solid enough to hold the weight of billions of gallons of water.
If it's too loose, the dam could settle unevenly. If it's too tight, you might get cracking. It’s a Goldilocks situation.
The photos capture this precision. You’ll see water trucks constantly spraying the surface. That’s not just to keep the neighbors happy by reducing dust; it’s actually to help the rock compact better. The moisture acts like a lubricant for the stones to slide into their permanent "lock."
Actionable Insights for Following the Project
If you're tracking the progress of Chimney Hollow, don't just look for "pretty" pictures. Look for the technical milestones.
- Watch the Asphalt Core Height: Compare photos from six months ago to today. The height of that dark center strip tells you exactly how close they are to the finish line.
- Monitor the Intake Tower: Once the scaffolding starts coming down from the concrete tower, you know the "plumbing" phase is nearing completion.
- Check the Spillway: The spillway is the "emergency exit" for water. Seeing concrete being poured there is a sign that the structural safety features are being finalized.
- Follow Northern Water’s "Windy Gap Firming Project" Page: They are the primary source. They post monthly updates that are usually far more detailed than what you'll find on social media.
The project is a massive investment in Colorado's future. It’s expensive, it’s loud, and it’s changing the map of Larimer County forever. But as our climate gets more "flashy"—with huge snow years followed by bone-dry summers—having a 90,000 acre-foot insurance policy looks smarter every day.
Keep an eye on the ridges. The cranes won't be there forever, and soon enough, the only photos people will be taking are of hikers and trout. But for now, the raw, industrial beauty of the construction phase is something worth documenting. It's not every day you get to watch a new lake being born in the high desert.
The next big milestone to watch for in chimney hollow reservoir photos is the completion of the dam crest. Once they reach the top, the massive machinery will start to disappear, replaced by the final "armoring" of the dam face. That’s when you’ll know the water is finally coming.
For the most up-to-date visuals, visit the Northern Water official project gallery or follow Larimer County's construction updates. If you're a local, keep your eyes on the horizon—the landscape is shifting in real-time.