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 Dams | 1,958 |
| High Hazard Dams | 451 |
| Average Dam Age | 84 years |
| Tallest Dam | 468 ft |
| Largest Reservoir | 1,833,700 acre-ft |
| Poor/Unsatisfactory Condition | 119 |
Notable Dams in Colorado
Explore Colorado Dams
Counties in Colorado
High Hazard Dams in Colorado
| Dam | County | Height | Condition | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morrow Point Dam | Montrose | 468 ft | Not assessed | Hydroelectric |
| Ten Mile Pond #3 Dam | Summit | 416 ft | Not assessed | Tailings |
| Blue Mesa Dam | Gunnison | 390 ft | Not assessed | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Gross | Boulder | 350 ft | Fair | Hydroelectric |
| Ridgway Dam | Ouray | 330 ft | Not assessed | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Crystal Dam | Montrose | 323 ft | Not assessed | Hydroelectric |
| Ruedi Dam | Pitkin | 322 ft | Not assessed | Hydroelectric |
| Dillon | Summit | 310 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Dillon | Summit | 310 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Green Mountain Dam | Summit | 309 ft | Not assessed | Hydroelectric |
| Strontia Springs | Douglas | 299 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Granby Dam | Grand | 298 ft | Not assessed | Hydroelectric |
| Mcphee Dam | Montezuma | 295 ft | Not assessed | Fish and Wildlife Pond |
| Lemon Dam | La Plata | 284 ft | Not assessed | Fish and Wildlife Pond |
| Ridges Basin Dam | La Plata | 273 ft | Not assessed | Water Supply |
| Homestake Project | Eagle | 265 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Rampart | El Paso | 250 ft | Satisfactory | Hydroelectric |
| Pueblo Dam | Pueblo | 245 ft | Not assessed | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Mayflower Pond # 5 | Summit | 237 ft | Not assessed | Tailings |
| Robinson Tailing Pond #1dam | Summit | 235 ft | Not assessed | Other |
| Cheesman | Jefferson | 221 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Button Rock | Boulder | 214 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| North Catamount | Teller | 210 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Cabin Creek Upper | Clear Creek | 210 ft | Satisfactory | Hydroelectric |
| Williams Fork Main | Grand | 209 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Taylor Park Dam | Gunnison | 206 ft | Not assessed | Irrigation |
| Ralston | Jefferson | 204 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Trinidad Dam | Las Animas | 203 ft | Not assessed | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Paonia Dam | Gunnison | 199 ft | Not assessed | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Rueter Hess | Douglas | 196 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Eagle Park Reservoir | Eagle | 192 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Cherry Creek Dam | Arapahoe | 189 ft | Not assessed | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Barker Meadow | Boulder | 184 ft | Satisfactory | Hydroelectric |
| Terrace | Conejos | 183 ft | Fair | Irrigation |
| Jackson Gulch Dam | Montezuma | 180 ft | Not assessed | Irrigation |
| Clinton Gulch | Summit | 175 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Silver Jack Dam | Gunnison | 173 ft | Not assessed | Irrigation |
| Senac | Arapahoe | 163 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Vega Dam | Mesa | 162 ft | Not assessed | Irrigation |
| Crawford Dam | Delta | 162 ft | Not assessed | Irrigation |
| Sugar Loaf Dam | Lake | 162 ft | Not assessed | Irrigation |
| Vallecito Dam | La Plata | 162 ft | Not assessed | Fish and Wildlife Pond |
| Horsetooth Dam | Larimer | 158 ft | Not assessed | Irrigation |
| Bonny Dam | Yuma | 158 ft | Not assessed | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Rifle Gap Dam | Garfield | 157 ft | Not assessed | Irrigation |
| Mountain Home | Costilla | 153 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Loveland Water Storage | Larimer | 152 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Eleven Mile Canyon | Park | 151 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Stagecoach | Routt | 150 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Jerry Creek #2 | Mesa | 150 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Joe Wright | Larimer | 148 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Chatfield Dam | Douglas | 148 ft | Not assessed | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Groundhog | Dolores | 141 ft | Fair | Irrigation |
| Sanchez | Costilla | 137 ft | Unsatisfactory | Irrigation |
| Fortune | Jefferson | 134 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Crystal Creek | El Paso | 133 ft | Fair | Water Supply |
| Middle Fork | Garfield | 130 ft | Satisfactory | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Rattlesnake Dam | Larimer | 130 ft | Not assessed | Irrigation |
| Meadow Creek | Grand | 126 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Ritschard | Grand | 126 ft | Fair | Irrigation |
| Blunn | Jefferson | 125 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Mc Lellan | Arapahoe | 125 ft | Fair | Water Supply |
| Manitou | El Paso | 124 ft | Fair | Water Supply |
| Standley Lake | Jefferson | 123 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Continental | Hinsdale | 120 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Milton Seaman | Larimer | 120 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Elkhead Creek | Moffat | 118 ft | Satisfactory | Fish and Wildlife Pond |
| John Martin Dam - Fort Lyon Protective Works | Bent | 118 ft | Not assessed | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Rio Grande | Hinsdale | 117 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Beaver Park | Rio Grande | 114 ft | Satisfactory | Recreation |
| Narraguinnep - Main Dam | Montezuma | 114 ft | Unsatisfactory | Irrigation |
| Fall River | Clear Creek | 114 ft | Fair | Irrigation |
| Rawhide | Larimer | 113 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Beaver | Gunnison | 113 ft | Fair | Irrigation |
| Palisade Cabin | Mesa | 113 ft | Fair | Water Supply |
| Montgomery | Park | 112 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Yamcolo | Garfield | 110 ft | Fair | Irrigation |
| Juniata | Mesa | 110 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Onion Valley | Montrose | 110 ft | Fair | Irrigation |
| Lester Creek | Routt | 110 ft | Fair | Recreation |
| Long Hollow | La Plata | 110 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Robinson | Eagle | 110 ft | Satisfactory | Tailings |
| Park Creek | Larimer | 108 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Two Buttes | Baca | 106 ft | Satisfactory | Recreation |
| Genesee No. 2 | Jefferson | 103 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Gold Camp | El Paso | 103 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Santa Maria | Mineral | 102 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Big Beaver | Rio Blanco | 102 ft | Fair | Fish and Wildlife Pond |
| Mountain View | Archuleta | 102 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Big Tooth | El Paso | 102 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Marshall Lake | Boulder | 101 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Spinney Mountain | Park | 100 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Williams Creek | Hinsdale | 100 ft | Satisfactory | Recreation |
| South Catamount | Teller | 100 ft | Fair | Water Supply |
| Willow Creek | Routt | 100 ft | Fair | Recreation |
| Chase Gulch | Gilpin | 100 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Twin Lakes Dam | Lake | 100 ft | Not assessed | Hydroelectric |
| Lake Isabel | Pueblo | 98 ft | Not assessed | Recreation |
| Upper Highline | Mesa | 98 ft | Satisfactory | Recreation |
| Upper Beaver Brook | Clear Creek | 97 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |