Copeland is an earth dam located in Adams County, Colorado, built in 1898. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 12 ft12 ft tall and 1,500 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 Copeland
The primary purpose of Copeland is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by United Water Company (randy Rhodes) (private). It impounds the South Platte River-os near Denver.
The dam stands 12 feet tall and stretches 1,500 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 13 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 114 acre-feet. Completed in 1898, 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 04/05/1995. That was over 31 years ago.
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Location
| State | Colorado |
| County | Adams |
| Nearest City | Denver |
| River/Stream | South Platte River-os |
| Coordinates | 39.80750, -104.97945 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,500 ft |
| Year Completed | 1898 (128 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 114 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 114 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 73 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 13 acres |
| Max Discharge | 285 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | United Water Company (randy Rhodes) |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 04/05/1995 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO01243 |
| Federal ID | CO01243 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |