Chaffee Gulch Detention Dam #6

About Chaffee Gulch Detention Dam #6

The primary purpose of Chaffee Gulch Detention Dam #6 is debris control. The dam is designed to catch sediment, rocks, and debris carried by flowing water — particularly important in areas prone to mudslides or heavy erosion. The dam is owned by Doi Blm (federal). It impounds the Chaffee Gulch.

The dam stands 44 feet tall and stretches 588 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 11 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 20 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2,030 square miles. Completed in 1965, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years 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 06/18/2012. That was over 13 years ago.

At 44 feet, this dam is taller than 90% of dams nationwide.

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