Rito Hondo
Rito Hondo is an earth dam located in Hinsdale County, Colorado, built in 1956. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Rito Hondo
The primary purpose of Rito Hondo is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Colorado Parks And Wildlife (taylor, Margaret) (state). It impounds the Rito Hondo near South Fork.
The dam stands 50 feet tall and stretches 250 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 41 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 766 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5 square miles. Completed in 1956, 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 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 06/07/2022.
At 50 feet, this dam is taller than 93% 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 | Hinsdale |
| Nearest City | South Fork |
| River/Stream | Rito Hondo |
| Coordinates | 37.89140, -107.17557 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 50 ft |
| Dam Height | 44 ft |
| Dam Length | 250 ft |
| Year Completed | 1956 (70 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 766 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 766 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 561 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 41 acres |
| Drainage Area | 5 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,380 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE (TAYLOR, MARGARET) |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 06/07/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO00778 |
| Federal ID | CO00778 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |