0
Your Favorites
Snowmass Village, Colo., (September 9, 2026) – Today, Snowmass Water & Sanitation District, Town of Snowmass Village, and Denver Museum of Nature & Science announce the enhancement of Ziegler Reservoir during Summer 2027.
Ziegler Reservoir, located in Snowmass Village, is a critical piece of Snowmass Village’s water infrastructure. Currently home to some of the town’s water storage needs, the reservoir assists with water storage and snowmaking. The enhancement of the Ziegler Reservoir, from May 2027-September 20, 2027, is intended to continue to support the current needs of the town, and to protect Snowmass’ water supply during drought years.
“Raw water reservoir storage is fundamental to our long-range planning goals,” says Kit Hamby, District Manager, Snowmass Water & Sanitation District. “Deepening Ziegler Reservoir will provide Snowmass Village with an additional 40 million gallons of storage – an indispensable asset during periods of drought and low stream flows.”
Ziegler Reservoir is also the site of a significant Ice Age fossil discovery. In 2010, a construction crew unearthed a single tusk of a mammoth while digging to expand the reservoir. The Denver Museum of Nature & Science took over the site and went on to uncover more than 6,000 large animal and 30,000 small animal bones representing mammoths, mastodons, giant ground sloths, Ice Age bison, and countless smaller species, as well as plants and insects, uncovering 85,000 years’ worth of history. Today, the Snowmass paleontological site is recognized as the richest high-altitude Ice Age ecosystem ever discovered.
Building on the efforts from 15 years ago, the 2027 scientific discovery work at Ziegler Reservoir will be spearheaded by the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. By analyzing data from ancient soils, with the potential for preserved proteins and environmental DNA, the Museum can more precisely reconstruct how plants, animals and climate changed together over tens of thousands of years. New research approaches can add layers of information to an already extraordinary Ice Age story.
“The Ziegler Reservoir gave us an extraordinary window into Ice Age Colorado when we first excavated the site (in 2010),” says Patrick O’Connor, Director of Earth and Space Sciences and Curator of Vertebrate Paleobiology, Denver Museum of Nature & Science. “We now have more tools at our disposal to better understand the paleoenvironment in which these animals and plants lived, and how ecosystems responded during a period of intense change right here in Colorado.”
As discoveries and research unfolds, project partners will share the science with the public through Museum updates, media coverage, and guest experiences in Snowmass, continuing the spirit of shared discovery that defined the original project.
“While the reservoir expansion is an important infrastructure project for water storage for the Snowmass community, the likelihood of uncovering additional Ice Age fossils is a very exciting prospect for us,” says Julia Theisen, Tourism Director, Snowmass Tourism. “We look forward to supporting the scientific discoveries and sharing this remarkable story with visitors and residents as it unfolds. Snowmass is going to be the place to be next summer!”
For more information on visiting Snowmass in 2027, please visit www.gosnowmass.com (Visit gosnowmass.com). For more information on the 2010 discovery, please visit www.snowmassiceage.com.
For images of Ziegler Reservoir and Snowmass’ current Ice Age initiatives, please click here (IceAgeDiscovery) (invite code: 1897s11yqh2v). For images of the 2010 Snowmass Ice Age Discovery, please click here (945e4001 Bda1 4642 A2ef 17bff7cd4971).
###
Media Contacts
Maura O’Neal, Denver Museum of Nature & Science
publicrelations@dmns.org
Kit Hamby, Snowmass Water & Sanitation District
Sara Stookey Sanchez, Snowmass Tourism
ABOUT THE DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE
The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is the Rocky Mountain region’s leading resource for formal and informal science education. Many of the Museum’s educational programs and exhibits are made possible in part by the citizens of the seven-county metro area through the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District. The Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Connect with the Museum on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Catalyst.
ABOUT SNOWMASS WATER & SANITATION DISTRICT
The District is continually preparing for present and future preservation of its most precious resource, through prudent financial and long-term regional planning. Snowmass Water and Sanitation District provides our customers and visitors with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water. In doing so, the District complies with State and Federal regulatory agencies regarding water quality, administrative and governmental issues and exceeds water and wastewater treatment standards.
ABOUT SNOWMASS TOURISM
A renowned winter playground and vibrant summer community just 9 miles from Aspen, Snowmass consistently ranks as one of the best winter ski areas and summer mountain biking destinations in the world. Surrounded by breathtaking peaks and adjacent to 2.8 million acres of wilderness, the Village offers 95% slopeside lodging, is home to 30+ restaurants, and offers a variety of shops, unique special events, an abundance of live music, family activities, and much more. For more information and a complete calendar of events and activities, please visit www.gosnowmass.com (Visit gosnowmass.com).
###