Lake Dorothy
Lake Dorothy is an earth dam located in Las Animas County, Colorado, built in 1937. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Lake Dorothy
The primary purpose of Lake Dorothy is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Raton Water Works (dan Campbell, General Manager) (local government). It impounds the E Fork Schwacheim Creek-tr near Capulin, N. M..
The dam stands 65 feet tall and stretches 775 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 18 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 443 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 6 square miles. Completed in 1937, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. The most recent inspection on record was 08/15/2016.
At 65 feet, this dam is taller than 96% of all dams in the United States.
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Location
| State | Colorado |
| County | Las Animas |
| Nearest City | Capulin, N. M. |
| River/Stream | E Fork Schwacheim Creek-tr |
| Coordinates | 37.00334, -104.37557 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 65 ft |
| Dam Height | 65 ft |
| Dam Length | 775 ft |
| Year Completed | 1937 (89 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 443 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 443 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 344 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 18 acres |
| Drainage Area | 6 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,954 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | RATON WATER WORKS (DAN CAMPBELL, GENERAL MANAGER) |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 08/15/2016 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO00540 |
| Federal ID | CO00540 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |