Lake Avery^[1] is a reservoir in Rio Blanco County, Colorado about 20 miles southeast of the town of Meeker. It also lies west of the unincorporated community of Buford. The reservoir is owned by Colorado Parks and Wildlife,^[2] and its dam impounds Big Beaver Creek, a tributary of the White River. Lake Avery is also called Big Beaver Reservoir, however it is unclear whether the name has changed or whether the reservoir just has two names.^[4]

Quick Facts Location, Coordinates ...

Lake Avery
Big Beaver Reservoir
Lake Avery and part of Oak Ridge State Wildlife Area
Lake Avery Location in Colorado
Location	Rio Blanco County, Colorado
Coordinates	39°58′18″N 107°38′50″W[1]
Type	reservoir
Primary inflows	Big Beaver Creek
Primary outflows	Big Beaver Creek Big Beaver Ditch
Managing agency	Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Designation	Oak Ridge State Wildlife Area
Built	1964 (1964)[2]
Surface area	99 hectares (240 acres)[3]
Max. depth	79 feet (24 m)[3]
Water volume	9,762 acre-feet (12,041,000 cubic meters)[2]
Surface elevation	6,988 feet (2,130 meters)[1]

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The lake and a large area of land surrounding it are part of the 13,664-acre (5,530-hectare) Oak Ridge State Wildlife Area. The wildlife area comprises six units or divisions, including the Bel Aire Unit, the Lake Avery Unit, the Oak Ridge Unit, the Jon Wangnild Unit, the Sleepy Cat Ponds Unit, and the Sleepy Cat Fishing Easement. The wildlife area offers deer, elk, rabbit, dusky (blue) grouse, dove, and waterfowl hunting, coldwater stream fishing, and camping, hiking, and wildlife viewing. The lake has two boat ramps.^[5] Lake Avery contains both rainbow and cutthroat trout.^[6]

In 2018, due to dangerously high temperatures and low flow rates in the White River that endangered trout species, Colorado Parks and Wildlife began releasing water from Lake Avery to the White River for the first time since 2012. They were permitted to discharge water at a rate of 20 cubic feet per second for 120 days.^[7]

The dam, called Big Beaver Dam, (National ID # CO00962) is a 102-foot tall earthen dam built in 1964.^[2] As of 2022, the dam is classified as a "high hazard dam" by the State of Colorado due to the property damage it would cause if breached. Its quality has declined over the years; it is currently listed as "unsatisfactory" since the last time the dam underwent maintenance was in the early 1990s to repair leaks. Colorado Parks & Wildlife has stated that they would begin lowering water levels and beginning construction between 2023 and 2024.^[8]