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.
Dam profile
NID height · 65 ft65 ft tall and 775 ft long, taller than 96% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a ten-story building, about 100 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
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. That was over 10 years ago.
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 |