Dams in Colorado

1,958 damsAvg age: 84 years
451
High Hazard
294
Significant
1,213
Low Hazard

Dam Safety in Colorado

Colorado has 1,958 dams tracked in the National Inventory of Dams. Of these, 451 (23%) are classified as high hazard — meaning failure would probably cause loss of human life — and 294 are classified as significant hazard. Currently, 119 dams in the state have a condition assessment of poor or unsatisfactory, indicating recognized safety deficiencies.

The average dam in Colorado is 84 years old. Many of these aging structures were built before modern dam safety standards were established, which increases the importance of regular inspections and maintenance. The most common purpose for dams in Colorado is irrigation, accounting for 914 of the state's dams.

The federal inventory is not every dam in Colorado. It includes dams rated high or significant hazard, plus low-hazard dams above a size threshold (taller than 25 feet holding more than 15 acre-feet, or taller than 6 feet holding more than 50 acre-feet). Small, older dams below that line are usually left out, even though they can still shape the streams around them. The state's own dam safety program often tracks many more, and it is the agency that inspects most of them.

Use the search above to find dams near any address in Colorado, or browse by county below. Each dam listing includes its hazard potential classification, condition assessment, physical characteristics, and inspection history from the NID.

Colorado Dam Facts

Total Dams1,958
High Hazard Dams451
Average Dam Age84 years
Tallest Dam468 ft
Largest Reservoir1,833,700 acre-ft
Poor/Unsatisfactory Condition119

Counties in Colorado

Adams57 dams7 high hazardArapahoe22 dams8 high hazardArchuleta24 dams4 high hazardBaca9 dams1 high hazardBent6 dams2 high hazardBoulder103 dams32 high hazardBroomfield11 dams5 high hazardChaffee12 dams4 high hazardCheyenne1 damsClear Creek23 dams12 high hazardConejos11 dams3 high hazardCostilla8 dams2 high hazardCrowley10 dams1 high hazardCuster3 dams2 high hazardDelta109 dams23 high hazardDenver12 dams8 high hazardDolores9 dams1 high hazardDouglas47 dams6 high hazardEagle32 dams11 high hazardEl Paso107 dams28 high hazardElbert72 damsFremont19 dams5 high hazardGarfield46 dams10 high hazardGilpin4 dams1 high hazardGrand60 dams8 high hazardGunnison25 dams8 high hazardHinsdale22 dams4 high hazardHuerfano45 dams6 high hazardJackson43 dams1 high hazardJefferson86 dams29 high hazardKiowa5 damsKit Carson3 dams1 high hazardLa Plata34 dams11 high hazardLake7 dams3 high hazardLarimer148 dams57 high hazardLas Animas24 dams7 high hazardLincoln13 dams1 high hazardLogan10 dams3 high hazardMesa126 dams27 high hazardMineral28 dams7 high hazardMoffat28 dams2 high hazardMontezuma25 dams9 high hazardMontrose29 dams9 high hazardMorgan22 dams2 high hazardOtero10 damsOuray6 dams2 high hazardPark25 dams8 high hazardPhillips3 damsPitkin20 dams7 high hazardProwers8 damsPueblo27 dams8 high hazardRio Blanco27 dams3 high hazardRio Grande7 dams3 high hazardRoutt64 dams8 high hazardSaguache10 dams1 high hazardSan Juan2 damsSan Miguel11 dams4 high hazardSedgwick13 dams3 high hazardSummit16 dams9 high hazardTeller26 dams6 high hazardWashington3 dams1 high hazardWeld129 dams16 high hazardYuma11 dams1 high hazard

High Hazard Dams in Colorado

DamCountyHeightConditionPurpose
Morrow Point DamMontrose468 ftNot assessedHydroelectric
Ten Mile Pond #3 DamSummit416 ftNot assessedTailings
Blue Mesa DamGunnison390 ftNot assessedFlood Risk Reduction
GrossBoulder350 ftFairHydroelectric
Ridgway DamOuray330 ftNot assessedFlood Risk Reduction
Crystal DamMontrose323 ftNot assessedHydroelectric
Ruedi DamPitkin322 ftNot assessedHydroelectric
DillonSummit310 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
DillonSummit310 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Green Mountain DamSummit309 ftNot assessedHydroelectric
Strontia SpringsDouglas299 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Granby DamGrand298 ftNot assessedHydroelectric
Mcphee DamMontezuma295 ftNot assessedFish and Wildlife Pond
Lemon DamLa Plata284 ftNot assessedFish and Wildlife Pond
Ridges Basin DamLa Plata273 ftNot assessedWater Supply
Homestake ProjectEagle265 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
RampartEl Paso250 ftSatisfactoryHydroelectric
Pueblo DamPueblo245 ftNot assessedFlood Risk Reduction
Mayflower Pond # 5Summit237 ftNot assessedTailings
Robinson Tailing Pond #1damSummit235 ftNot assessedOther
CheesmanJefferson221 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Button RockBoulder214 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
North CatamountTeller210 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Cabin Creek UpperClear Creek210 ftSatisfactoryHydroelectric
Williams Fork MainGrand209 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Taylor Park DamGunnison206 ftNot assessedIrrigation
RalstonJefferson204 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Trinidad DamLas Animas203 ftNot assessedFlood Risk Reduction
Paonia DamGunnison199 ftNot assessedFlood Risk Reduction
Rueter HessDouglas196 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Eagle Park ReservoirEagle192 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Cherry Creek DamArapahoe189 ftNot assessedFlood Risk Reduction
Barker MeadowBoulder184 ftSatisfactoryHydroelectric
TerraceConejos183 ftFairIrrigation
Jackson Gulch DamMontezuma180 ftNot assessedIrrigation
Clinton GulchSummit175 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Silver Jack DamGunnison173 ftNot assessedIrrigation
SenacArapahoe163 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Vega DamMesa162 ftNot assessedIrrigation
Crawford DamDelta162 ftNot assessedIrrigation
Sugar Loaf DamLake162 ftNot assessedIrrigation
Vallecito DamLa Plata162 ftNot assessedFish and Wildlife Pond
Horsetooth DamLarimer158 ftNot assessedIrrigation
Bonny DamYuma158 ftNot assessedFlood Risk Reduction
Rifle Gap DamGarfield157 ftNot assessedIrrigation
Mountain HomeCostilla153 ftSatisfactoryIrrigation
Loveland Water StorageLarimer152 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Eleven Mile CanyonPark151 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
StagecoachRoutt150 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Jerry Creek #2Mesa150 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Joe WrightLarimer148 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Chatfield DamDouglas148 ftNot assessedFlood Risk Reduction
GroundhogDolores141 ftFairIrrigation
SanchezCostilla137 ftUnsatisfactoryIrrigation
FortuneJefferson134 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Crystal CreekEl Paso133 ftFairWater Supply
Middle ForkGarfield130 ftSatisfactoryFlood Risk Reduction
Rattlesnake DamLarimer130 ftNot assessedIrrigation
Meadow CreekGrand126 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
RitschardGrand126 ftFairIrrigation
BlunnJefferson125 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Mc LellanArapahoe125 ftFairWater Supply
ManitouEl Paso124 ftFairWater Supply
Standley LakeJefferson123 ftSatisfactoryIrrigation
ContinentalHinsdale120 ftSatisfactoryIrrigation
Milton SeamanLarimer120 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Elkhead CreekMoffat118 ftSatisfactoryFish and Wildlife Pond
John Martin Dam - Fort Lyon Protective WorksBent118 ftNot assessedFlood Risk Reduction
Rio GrandeHinsdale117 ftSatisfactoryIrrigation
Beaver ParkRio Grande114 ftSatisfactoryRecreation
Narraguinnep - Main DamMontezuma114 ftUnsatisfactoryIrrigation
Fall RiverClear Creek114 ftFairIrrigation
RawhideLarimer113 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
BeaverGunnison113 ftFairIrrigation
Palisade CabinMesa113 ftFairWater Supply
MontgomeryPark112 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
YamcoloGarfield110 ftFairIrrigation
JuniataMesa110 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Onion ValleyMontrose110 ftFairIrrigation
Lester CreekRoutt110 ftFairRecreation
Long HollowLa Plata110 ftSatisfactoryIrrigation
RobinsonEagle110 ftSatisfactoryTailings
Park CreekLarimer108 ftSatisfactoryIrrigation
Two ButtesBaca106 ftSatisfactoryRecreation
Genesee No. 2Jefferson103 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Gold CampEl Paso103 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Santa MariaMineral102 ftSatisfactoryIrrigation
Big BeaverRio Blanco102 ftFairFish and Wildlife Pond
Mountain ViewArchuleta102 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Big ToothEl Paso102 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Marshall LakeBoulder101 ftSatisfactoryIrrigation
Spinney MountainPark100 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Williams CreekHinsdale100 ftSatisfactoryRecreation
South CatamountTeller100 ftFairWater Supply
Willow CreekRoutt100 ftFairRecreation
Chase GulchGilpin100 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply
Twin Lakes DamLake100 ftNot assessedHydroelectric
Lake IsabelPueblo98 ftNot assessedRecreation
Upper HighlineMesa98 ftSatisfactoryRecreation
Upper Beaver BrookClear Creek97 ftSatisfactoryWater Supply