Trout Creek

About Trout Creek

The primary purpose of Trout Creek is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Paul Moltz, (private). It impounds the Trout Creek near Nathrop.

The dam stands 70 feet tall and stretches 120 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 27 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 727 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 60 square miles. Completed in 2001, the structure is relatively new.

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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 10/25/2022.

At 70 feet, this dam is taller than 96% 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.

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