Garnet Mesa
Garnet Mesa is an earth dam located in Delta County, Colorado, built in 1954. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Garnet Mesa
The primary purpose of Garnet Mesa is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Colorado Parks And Wildlife (taylor, Margaret) (state). It impounds the Uncompahgre River-tr near Delta.
The dam stands 41 feet tall and stretches 659 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 139 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,980 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 8 square miles. Completed in 1954, 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 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 09/07/2022.
At 41 feet, this dam is taller than 88% of dams nationwide.
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.
Location
| State | Colorado |
| County | Delta |
| Nearest City | Delta |
| River/Stream | Uncompahgre River-tr |
| Coordinates | 38.71500, -108.04058 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 41 ft |
| Dam Height | 39 ft |
| Dam Length | 659 ft |
| Year Completed | 1954 (72 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,980 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,980 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,333 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 139 acres |
| Drainage Area | 8 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 2,200 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE (TAYLOR, MARGARET) |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 09/07/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO00747 |
| Federal ID | CO00747 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |