Foothills
Foothills is an earth dam located in Boulder County, Colorado, built in 1911. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Foothills
The primary purpose of Foothills is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Highland Ditch Company (wade Gonzales) (private). It impounds the St. Vrain Creek-tr near Longmont.
The dam stands 56 feet tall and stretches 3,150 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 183 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 4,983 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1911, the structure is over a century 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 06/16/2022.
At 56 feet, this dam is taller than 94% of dams nationwide.
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 | Boulder |
| Nearest City | Longmont |
| River/Stream | St. Vrain Creek-tr |
| Coordinates | 40.18909, -105.22001 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 56 ft |
| Dam Height | 52 ft |
| Dam Length | 3,150 ft |
| Year Completed | 1911 (115 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 4,983 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 4,983 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 4,139 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 183 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 5,350 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | HIGHLAND DITCH COMPANY (WADE GONZALES) |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 06/16/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO00173 |
| Federal ID | CO00173 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |