Penrose
Penrose is an earth dam located in El Paso County, Colorado, built in 1917. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Penrose
The primary purpose of Penrose is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Colorado Springs Utilities (local government). It impounds the Spring Run-tr near Colorado Springs.
The dam stands 50 feet tall and stretches 460 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 55 acre-feet. Completed in 1917, 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 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 04/12/2023.
At 50 feet, this dam is taller than 93% 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 | El Paso |
| Nearest City | Colorado Springs |
| River/Stream | Spring Run-tr |
| Coordinates | 38.77501, -104.85223 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 50 ft |
| Dam Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Length | 460 ft |
| Year Completed | 1917 (109 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 55 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 55 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 43 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 3 acres |
| Max Discharge | 371 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | COLORADO SPRINGS UTILITIES |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 04/12/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO00438 |
| Federal ID | CO00438 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |