Little King Ranch

About Little King Ranch

The primary purpose of Little King Ranch is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Circle C Ranch King, Llc (phelps, David) (private). It impounds the Buffalo Creek near Hot Sulphur Springs.

The dam stands 65 feet tall and stretches 500 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 52 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,570 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1968, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years 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 08/01/2022.

At 65 feet, this dam is taller than 96% of all dams in the United States.

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.