Roatcap Wash Watershed Rw-1
Roatcap Wash Watershed Rw-1 is an earth dam located in Montrose County, Colorado, built in 1964. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Roatcap Wash Watershed Rw-1
The primary purpose of Roatcap Wash Watershed Rw-1 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 Shavano Soil Conservation District (lipton, Ken) (public utility). It impounds the Uncompahgre River,tr&sp-tr near Delta.
The dam stands 48 feet tall and stretches 1,118 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 48 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,053 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 11 square miles. Completed in 1964, 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 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 05/23/2022.
At 48 feet, this dam is taller than 92% of dams nationwide.
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 | Montrose |
| Nearest City | Delta |
| River/Stream | Uncompahgre River,tr&sp-tr |
| Coordinates | 38.61168, -108.05057 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 48 ft |
| Dam Height | 48 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,118 ft |
| Year Completed | 1964 (62 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,053 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,053 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 790 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 48 acres |
| Drainage Area | 11 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,530 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | SHAVANO SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICT (LIPTON, KEN) |
| Owner Type | Public Utility |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 05/23/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO00741 |
| Federal ID | CO00741 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |