Management

About Us

Curecanti National Recreation Area protects an abundance of natural, historic, and archeological features in a western landscape encompassing canyons, pinnacles, cliffs, rivers, reservoirs, and mesas, while offering opportunities for recreation, public benefit, and personal reflection.

The recreation area was established in 1965 and consists three high-altitude reservoirs, tied together by the Gunnison River, and set in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The three dams (Blue Mesa, Morrow Point, and Crystal) make up the Wayne N. Aspinall Storage Unit, one of the four main units of the Upper Colorado River Storage Project (UCRSP). The dams are managed by the Bureau of Reclamation.

Park Offices

Curecanti National Recreation Area shares staff and administrative offices with Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. The park headquarters is located at Elk Creek along U.S. Highway 50.

 

Superintendent's Office

The Superintendent promotes the effective management of park development, programming, personnel management, finance and property management, protection, interpretation, research, resources management, safety, maintenance, and public relations.

Administration and Concessions

This division oversees human resources, finance and budget, procurement, concessions contracts, housing operations, and information technology.

Resource Management

This division oversees wildlife monitoring, water quality monitoring, archeology, vegetation and ecology, and NEPA and Section 106 compliance.

Visitor and Resource Protection

This division oversees law enforcement operations, search and rescue, wilderness and structural fire, emergency services, and fee operations at entrance stations and campgrounds.

Interpretation and Education

This division oversees visitor center operations, interpretive programs, information requests, social media, bookstores, education and outreach programs, distance learning programs, visual information (exhibits, brochures, graphics, website and NPS app), and public affairs.

Facilities Management

This division oversees roads, trails, and marina maintenance, buildings and utilities, custodial services, fleet maintenance (park vehicles, heavy equipment, boats, etc.), and project and contract management.

 

Superintendent's Compendium

The Superintendent's Compendium lists designations, closures, permit requirements, and other restrictions made by the superintendent.

Foundation Documents

To effectively manage a national park unit and plan for its future, a basic understanding of a park's resources, values, and history is needed - a foundation for planning and management. These are called foundation documents. Foundation documents are at the core of each park's planning portfolio.

• Curecanti National Recreation Area Foundation Document Overview
• Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park Foundation Document Overview

Other Plans and Studies

General Management Plan
The General Management Plan (14.2 MB PDF) was created in 1997 to provide Black Canyon and Curecanti with a long-range management program.

Cimarron Rail Exhibit Conservation Plan
The purpose of this plan is to create a stewardship guide for preserving the rolling stock assets and railroad bridge located at the Cimarron Rail Exhibit within Curecanti.
Download » (14.6 MB pdf)

Visitor Use Study
In 2010, University of Idaho Park Studies Unit conducted a questionnaire-based survey of recreation area users and subsequent visitor use study (4.62 MB PDF)