Two Buttes

About Two Buttes

The primary purpose of Two Buttes 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 (state). It impounds the Two Butte Creek near Holly.

The dam stands 106 feet tall and stretches 1,864 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,182 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 40,654 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 470 square miles. Completed in 1908, the structure is over a century 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/26/2022.

At 106 feet, this dam is taller than 98% 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.

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