Fall River
Fall River is an earth dam located in Clear Creek County, Colorado, built in 1974. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Fall River
The primary purpose of Fall River is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Agricultural Ditch & Reservoir Company (acker, Pet (private). It impounds the Fall River near Idaho Springs.
The dam stands 114 feet tall and stretches 840 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 24 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,050 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1974, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/12/2022.
At 114 feet, this dam is taller than 98% 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 Colorado dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Colorado |
| County | Clear Creek |
| Nearest City | Idaho Springs |
| River/Stream | Fall River |
| Coordinates | 39.81988, -105.69077 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 114 ft |
| Dam Height | 85 ft |
| Dam Length | 840 ft |
| Year Completed | 1974 (52 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,050 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,050 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 890 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 24 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 6,400 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | AGRICULTURAL DITCH & RESERVOIR COMPANY (ACKER, PET |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 08/12/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO00193 |
| Federal ID | CO00193 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |