Big Sandy Creek Watershed N-23
Big Sandy Creek Watershed N-23 is an earth dam located in Elbert County, Colorado, built in 1959. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Big Sandy Creek Watershed N-23
The primary purpose of Big Sandy Creek Watershed N-23 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 Double El Soil Conservation Dist. (heather Cross, (local government). It impounds the Big Sandy Creek-tr near Matheson.
The dam stands 29 feet tall and stretches 1,445 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 52 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 704 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5 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 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 10/15/2020.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Colorado |
| County | Elbert |
| Nearest City | Matheson |
| River/Stream | Big Sandy Creek-tr |
| Coordinates | 39.18668, -104.00779 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 29 ft |
| Dam Height | 24 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,445 ft |
| Year Completed | 1959 (67 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 704 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 704 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 294 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 52 acres |
| Drainage Area | 5 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 2,586 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | DOUBLE EL SOIL CONSERVATION DIST. (HEATHER CROSS, |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 10/15/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO00562 |
| Federal ID | CO00562 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |