Turn on a hose in Denver this summer and the water likely flows from the Strontia Springs Reservoir. The small manmade lake in the mountains just west of downtown stores the state’s precious snowmelt and distributes it through the dry months, when rain grows scarce and farmers are irrigating frantically. But over its 44 years, Strontia has lost much of its ability to store water. The reservoir is now almost one-fifth full of sediment — sand, silt and mud. Most of the country’s 90,000 or so storage reservoirs are facing a similar problem. These dams are in a self-propelling sediment loop. Climate change is exacerbating drought and wildfires, destroying plants that hold soil in place. … The country has lost an estimated 8% of its water storage capacity, the equivalent of 25.5 million Olympic-size swimming pools, according to a study published this week in Nature. 

Other dam and reservoir news:

• The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.): Dam repair at Bay Area reservoir estimated at $50 million
• San Luis Obispo Tribune (Calif.): Should swimming be allowed at Santa Margarita Lake? New petition says no
• Cal Poly Humboldt: A river in recovery​