Tomahawk
Tomahawk is an earth dam located in Gunnison County, Colorado, built in 1957. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Tomahawk
The primary purpose of Tomahawk is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Volk Ranch, Lllp (volk, Gary) (private). It impounds the Muddy Creek-tr near Paonia.
The dam stands 32 feet tall and stretches 388 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 11 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 144 acre-feet. Completed in 1957, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/13/2021.
At 32 feet, this dam is taller than 76% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Colorado |
| County | Gunnison |
| Nearest City | Paonia |
| River/Stream | Muddy Creek-tr |
| Coordinates | 39.01000, -107.30890 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Length | 388 ft |
| Year Completed | 1957 (69 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 144 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 144 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 89 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 11 acres |
| Max Discharge | 588 cfs |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | VOLK RANCH, LLLP (VOLK, GARY) |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 09/13/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO00631 |
| Federal ID | CO00631 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |