Soward #4 is an earth dam located in Mineral County, Colorado, built in 1909. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 17 ft17 ft tall and 160 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Soward #4
The primary purpose of Soward #4 is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Margaret Lamb (private). It impounds the Middle Creek-os near South Fork.
The dam stands 17 feet tall and stretches 160 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 8 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 77 acre-feet. Completed in 1909, the structure is over a century 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 08/07/1990. That was over 36 years ago.
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Location
| State | Colorado |
| County | Mineral |
| Nearest City | South Fork |
| River/Stream | Middle Creek-os |
| Coordinates | 37.70833, -107.01723 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 17 ft |
| Dam Height | 17 ft |
| Dam Length | 160 ft |
| Year Completed | 1909 (117 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 77 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 77 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 45 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 8 acres |
| Max Discharge | 168 cfs |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Margaret Lamb |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 08/07/1990 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO00808 |
| Federal ID | CO00808 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |