Chatfield State Park centers on the 1,423-acre Chatfield Reservoir southwest of Denver, a landscape shaped by Chatfield Dam and fed by the South Platte River and nearby creeks. Its recent history reflects major water management changes: from 2017 to 2020, the Chatfield Reservoir Reallocation Project added 20,600 acre-feet of storage, raised the water level about 12 feet, and forced some facilities to move farther from the shoreline. The park is also an important recreation and wildlife area, with more than 300 bird species and many mammals. Within it, the Audubon Center provides education on a site with ranch, industrial, flood, and restoration history.