Headgate Rock

About Headgate Rock

The primary purpose of Headgate Rock is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Bia (federal). It impounds the Colorado River near Parker.

The dam stands 70 feet tall and stretches 1,975 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 768 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 29,485 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 239 square miles. Completed in 1941, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 11/30/2021.

At 70 feet, this dam is taller than 96% of all dams in the United States.

Living Downstream

If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Arizona dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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