W. Cherry Creek Det. #7

W. Cherry Creek Det. #7 is an earth dam located in Douglas County, Colorado, built in 1959. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.

About W. Cherry Creek Det. #7

The primary purpose of W. Cherry Creek Det. #7 is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Douglas County (local government). It impounds the West Cherry Creek near Franktown.

The dam stands 44 feet tall and stretches 1,210 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 4 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 799 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 19 square miles. Completed in 1959, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.

This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/28/2020.

At 44 feet, this dam is taller than 90% of dams nationwide.

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Low HazardUnsatisfactory ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateColorado
CountyDouglas
Nearest CityFranktown
River/StreamWest Cherry Creek
Coordinates39.14168, -104.77140

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height44 ft
Dam Height9 ft
Dam Length1,210 ft
Year Completed1959 (67 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage799 acre-ft
Max Storage799 acre-ft
Normal Storage24 acre-ft
Surface Area4 acres
Drainage Area19 sq mi
Max Discharge6,140 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeFlood Risk Reduction
OwnerDOUGLAS COUNTY
Owner TypeLocal Government
Hazard ClassificationLow
Condition AssessmentUnsatisfactory
Last Inspection09/28/2020
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDCO00319
Federal IDCO00319
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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