Scales #1 (lower)

Scales #1 (lower) is an earth dam located in Mesa County, Colorado, built in 1959. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.

Hazard potentialLowFailure would cause limited damage
ConditionNot assessed
Emergency action planOn file
Last inspection07/23/2019
Height12 ft
Built195967 years ago

Dam profile

NID height · 12 ft
12 FT TWO-STORY HOUSEMEDIAN U.S. DAM · 24 FT

12 ft tall and 360 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.

About Scales #1 (lower)

The primary purpose of Scales #1 (lower) is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Grand Mesa Reservoir Co. (private). It impounds the Kahnah Creek-tr near Grand Junction.

The dam stands 12 feet tall and stretches 360 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 55 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 479 acre-feet. Completed in 1959, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.

This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/23/2019.

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Location

StateColorado
CountyMesa
Nearest CityGrand Junction
River/StreamKahnah Creek-tr
Coordinates39.04000, -108.02723

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height12 ft
Dam Height10 ft
Dam Length360 ft
Year Completed1959 (67 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage479 acre-ft
Max Storage479 acre-ft
Normal Storage204 acre-ft
Surface Area55 acres
Max Discharge441 cfs
Spillway TypeNone

Ownership & Safety

PurposeIrrigation
OwnerGrand Mesa Reservoir Co.
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationLow
Condition AssessmentNot assessed
Last Inspection07/23/2019
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDCO00106
Federal IDCO00106
More InfoState Dam Safety Program