Box Elder Creek 5-a

About Box Elder Creek 5-a

The primary purpose of Box Elder Creek 5-a 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 Central Platte Natural Resources District (local government). It impounds the Boxelder Creek near Shelton.

The dam stands 21 feet tall and stretches 1,484 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 76 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,907 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 6 square miles. Completed in 1975, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.

This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. The most recent inspection on record was 04/05/2023.

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