W. Cherry Creek Det. #7 is an earth dam located in Douglas County, Colorado, built in 1959. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 44 ft44 ft tall and 1,210 ft long, taller than 89% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. 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 W. Cherry Creek Det. #7
The primary purpose of W. Cherry Creek Det. #7 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 Douglas County (local government). It impounds the West Cherry Creek near Franktown.
The dam stands 44 feet tall and stretches 1,210 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 4 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 799 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 19 square miles. 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. Its condition is rated unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/28/2020.
At 44 feet, this dam is taller than 89% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Colorado |
| County | Douglas |
| Nearest City | Franktown |
| River/Stream | West Cherry Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.14168, -104.77140 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 44 ft |
| Dam Height | 9 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,210 ft |
| Year Completed | 1959 (67 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 799 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 799 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 24 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 4 acres |
| Drainage Area | 19 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 6,140 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Douglas County |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 09/28/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO00319 |
| Federal ID | CO00319 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |