Cobb Lake
Cobb Lake is an earth dam located in Larimer County, Colorado, built in 1953. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Cobb Lake
The primary purpose of Cobb Lake is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Wrcc, Inc. (nelson, Kimberly) (private). It impounds the Cache La Poudre River-os near Windsor.
The dam stands 58 feet tall and stretches 1,000 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 765 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 28,200 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1953, 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/10/2022.
At 58 feet, this dam is taller than 95% 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 | Larimer |
| Nearest City | Windsor |
| River/Stream | Cache La Poudre River-os |
| Coordinates | 40.65195, -104.97290 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 58 ft |
| Dam Height | 58 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,000 ft |
| Year Completed | 1953 (73 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 28,200 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 28,200 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 22,300 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 765 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 9,110 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | WRCC, INC. (NELSON, KIMBERLY) |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 08/10/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO00129 |
| Federal ID | CO00129 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |