Leon Lake
Leon Lake is an earth dam located in Mesa County, Colorado, built in 1898. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Leon Lake
The primary purpose of Leon Lake is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Leon Lake Ditch & Res. Company (walker, John) (private). It impounds the Middle Leon Creek near Collbran.
The dam stands 30 feet tall and stretches 110 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 132 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 3,840 acre-feet. Completed in 1898, the structure is over a century 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 07/20/2022.
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 | Mesa |
| Nearest City | Collbran |
| River/Stream | Middle Leon Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.06840, -107.80223 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Length | 110 ft |
| Year Completed | 1898 (128 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 3,840 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 3,840 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,339 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 132 acres |
| Max Discharge | 772 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | LEON LAKE DITCH & RES. COMPANY (WALKER, JOHN) |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 07/20/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO00807 |
| Federal ID | CO00807 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |