Palisade Cabin
Palisade Cabin is an earth dam located in Mesa County, Colorado, built in 1956. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Palisade Cabin
The primary purpose of Palisade Cabin is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Town Of Palisade Public Works (hawkinson, Janet) (local government). It impounds the Cottonwood Creek-os near Palisade.
The dam stands 113 feet tall and stretches 1,068 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 27 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 1,120 acre-feet. 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 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 07/25/2022.
At 113 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 | Mesa |
| Nearest City | Palisade |
| River/Stream | Cottonwood Creek-os |
| Coordinates | 39.08501, -108.27390 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 113 ft |
| Dam Height | 88 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,068 ft |
| Year Completed | 1956 (70 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,120 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,120 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,018 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 27 acres |
| Max Discharge | 102 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | TOWN OF PALISADE PUBLIC WORKS (HAWKINSON, JANET) |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 07/25/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO01045 |
| Federal ID | CO01045 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |