La Jara - Dam No. 1

About La Jara - Dam No. 1

The primary purpose of La Jara - Dam No. 1 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 La Jara Creek near Capulin.

The dam stands 54 feet tall and stretches 510 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,241 acres, has a storage capacity of 14,055 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 40 square miles. Completed in 1906, the structure is over a century 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 06/09/2022.

At 54 feet, this dam is taller than 94% of dams nationwide.

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