Englewood
Englewood is an earth dam located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, built in 1936. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Englewood
The primary purpose of Englewood 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 Urban Drainage & Flood Control District (thomas, S (local government). It impounds the Willow Creek near Littleton.
The dam stands 64 feet tall and stretches 2,300 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 125 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,500 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 9 square miles. Completed in 1936, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 09/29/2021.
At 64 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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Colorado |
| County | Arapahoe |
| Nearest City | Littleton |
| River/Stream | Willow Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.58969, -104.91818 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 64 ft |
| Dam Height | 55 ft |
| Dam Length | 2,300 ft |
| Year Completed | 1936 (90 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 3,500 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 3,500 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 125 acres |
| Drainage Area | 9 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 32,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | URBAN DRAINAGE & FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT (THOMAS, S |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Rated |
| Last Inspection | 09/29/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO00300 |
| Federal ID | CO00300 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |