| Sanchez Reservoir | |
| Location: | Costilla County, Colorado |
| Coordinates: | 37.0839°N -105.4144°W |
| Type: | reservoir |
| Inflow: | Ventero Creek Sanchez Canal |
| Basin Countries: | United States |
| Agency: | Sanchez Ditch and Reservoir Company |
| Designation: | Sanchez Reservoir State Wildlife Area |
| Area: | 3145acres |
| Volume: | 103000acre.ft |
| Elevation: | 2518abbr=offNaNabbr=off [1] |
| Pushpin Map: | Colorado |
| Pushpin Label Position: | top |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Colorado |
Sanchez Reservoir lies in far southcentral Colorado, west of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Costilla County. Its inflows include Ventero Creek and the Sanchez Canal, a diversion canal that takes water from Culebra Creek and two other creeks.[2]
The reservoir's earthen dam was built in 1912. Because the dam leaks a lot and because of ongoing drought in the region, the reservoir never really reaches its full capacity.[3]
Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages fishing at the reservoir, which forms the Sanchez Reservoir State Wildlife Area. However, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has issued a "Fish consumption advisory," warning of unsafe mercury levels in northern pike and walleye caught in the lake.[4]